


A Whole Other Boss

by truedi



Series: Fictober 2019 [6]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Drinking, F/M, Fictober 2019, Klaroline is the main focus, Klaus is not as big of a dick as he could be, No kinky stuff, Sexual Harrasment, basically a shitty rom-com with some drama maybe?, maybe slightly out of character?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2020-12-31 05:02:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21079130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truedi/pseuds/truedi
Summary: Fictober 2019: Secrets? I love secrets.Vampire Diaries AUApart from her asshole boss, Caroline loves and is successful at her job at the 5 star luxury hotel Hybrid Inn. A man would not stop her from pursuing her dream of one day becoming the manager of such a hotel, but when a new guest is checking in, she has a hard time maintaining professionalism.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> During Fictober, all we create is trash and typos. I swear this is related to the prompt! It just appears in the second chapter so... y'all gotta wait until next week. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: This one of my all time fav pairings. Which is why I stopped watching Vampire Diaries after season 4 because it was obvious the writers wouldn't pursue this relationship (Yes, I was that upset about it, the only thing I watched after was episode 100 for the reason you probably can figure out). SO, I barely know ANYTHING about Vampire Diaries anymore, never watched the Originals or whatever. Let me live in my fantasy in which these two had their thing going on!

To be fair, the whole day had been an omen that bad things were going to happen. Caroline was sitting in her boss’ office along with two other staff members. They were working at the reception while Caroline worked in reservations and occasionally room service. The hotel was big and so was the staff, but as Caroline had worked there for quite some time, they demanded her to be stepping in when a guest needed guidance or an escort. It also gave her boss more opportunities to see and hit on her. Right now, he wasn’t in the mood to hit on her. 

“So,” he began, “Can somebody explain to me how this horrendous error could have happened?

The young trainees from the reception quivered slightly. Caroline almost felt sorry for them. She couldn’t help herself. It was a harsh environment in luxury hotels. She was certain someone would get fired today. Hopefully, not her. 

“Mr. Trent, I am sure this can be resolved.” Caroline thought she might as well try to calm his anger. 

“Though, I am sure I have made the reservation, it could be possible that it simply did not show up due to an er-“

“Error?! In our system? When does that ever happen, Ms. Forbes? Don’t try to fool me! You, blonde trainee! What is your explanation?” 

The blonde girl next to Caroline, Meghan, looked up to him. Caroline scoffed inside. He didn’t even bother to know their names, that prick. If she wouldn’t need the money, she would’ve quit a long time ago. 

“I-I couldn’t see the gentleman’s reservation in my files. I am sorry. I don’t know what has gone wrong.” 

Trent looked disgusted by her answer but refrained from saying anything else. The girls waited patiently. Caroline was trying to ready herself mentally in case she had to beg. Not her style, but she couldn’t afford to be fired so suddenly. 

“You are all dismissed. I will think about how to handle the situation.” 

The next day, both trainees were fired which led to changes in schedule to make up for the missing staff. Caroline pitied them but at least they were only trainees. They had not yet wasted their life in this hotel. If it weren’t for the asshole boss, Caroline would even enjoy working here most of the days. The only ambition she had was to one day replace Trent as the head of the hotel. Then she would make everything better. 

“Dreaming on the job?” Matt had come in to start his shift at reservations. He was the best co-worker Caroline could ask for. They had studied together in college and both been chosen for positions at the Hybrid Inn in New Orleans. Matt had originally planned to apply for the Inn in New York, but Caroline had convinced him to move to New Orleans together. For a while they had dated. Until they had really settled in in New Orleans, they had already broken up again but remained close friends. He was too much of a brother to her. 

“Would never dare.” Caroline logged out and left her seat. She was scheduled to lead a guest to their room and assist them before she was off work. 

“How did it go yesterday?”, Matt asked. The whole staff obviously knew what happened. 

“Well, Meghan and Jodie are out. What a surprise. But he didn’t bother touching my ass this time at least.” 

Matt cringed: “Ugh, damn. At least one good thing. Gonna miss ‘em though. They were competent.” 

“Doesn’t help you when you make such a gigantic mistake honestly. They will learn from it.” 

“Are we meeting later for dinner?”

Caroline stopped in her tracks. 

“Didn’t you have a date?” She knew Matt was seeing Elena, the girl that worked at the bar they frequently visited. They often met Thursday nights as she was always off then. 

“Nah, not tonight…She had things to do.” 

Caroline decided it was not worth asking about it now. She would call him later. 

“Sorry, I think I need some me-time, you know…Was pretty shocking yesterday.”

He nodded. “I understand! See you tomorrow then!” 

She returned the goodbye, shouldered her bag and went straight to the reception. Checking her watch, she calculated that the guest was supposed to arrive in 20 minutes. Plenty of time. They normally weren’t early. She greeted the one girl before waiting on Bonnie, her best friend, who was checking in a couple at the moment. 

“Thank you for joining us. I hope you have a pleasant stay”, she ended and smiled this smile only customer service people recognized. Friendly indifference. However, when she turned to Caroline, she grinned for real. 

“About time you’re coming. I’m dying to get off,” Bonnie joked. 

“Of course, feel free to go!” Caroline hugged her. Bonnie was born and raised in New Orleans, but they had hit it off the first week Caroline had arrived on the new job. 

“So, who is coming?” She had yet to receive any information about the guest which left Caroline a little irritated. She liked to be informed on who she was assisting to be mentally prepared. Maybe it was categorization in a way, but it was useful to her. 

“His name is Klaus Mikaelson. Here on a business trip.” 

“Oh, sounds like some old corporate dude, oh well…” 

“Nothing we aren’t used to. No specific requests except for an assistant to show him to his room. Maybe you also gotta tell him where to get good beer as usual.” 

Caroline laughed. It was all the same after a while. Their hotel often housed businesspeople or celebrities. Once in a while, someone that people actually knew and then they had security on every floor at any time. The richer they were, the more attitude they had. Hopefully, this guy was part of a small company and not on some big ego trip. 

Bonnie resumed her position at the front while Caroline stayed in the bag. As she was still working and visible, she couldn’t do much more but stand there to look polite and ready. They were not allowed to sit, so for now she did as the receptionists and greeted every guest entering and leaving the hotel. She checked her watch once ever few minutes for a change. By the sixth time, she counted out of boredom, a black car came to stop in front of the glass doors of the hotel.

“We have a parking space for this,” Caroline could her Bonnie whisper sarcastically. It helped Caroline to put on a smile. Now, she just had to keep it there for the next, at least, 2 hours. 

While the driver jumped to open the door for their client, the doorman prepared to open the door. It was hard to see from the reception what the guest looked like. Caroline only saw that he wasn’t as old as they had expected. He was dressed in a simple black and white suit. Almost casual for a rich businessman, she thought jokingly. She moved closer to Bonnie, so that she was recognizable as the assistant in question. The doorman opened for the driver carrying one, and the guest carrying another suitcase. 

“Thank you,” he spoke to the doorman, making his way up the small set of stairs and setting his suitcase down at the reception. 

“I have a reservation for one. Klaus Mikaelson.” His voice was raspy yet sounded like butter to Caroline’s ears. The accent was clearly English. Caroline would lie if she pretended she could distinguish anything more specific. She tried so hard not stare too openly that her whole concentration had kept her from recognizing that Bonnie had already handed over the keys and explained where he could find his room. 

“Of course, my colleague Ms. Forbes will lead you to your room and help you with anything you need.” 

Caroline snapped back into her professional persona. 

“Welcome to the Hybrid Inn. May I help you with your suitcases?” 

“That won’t be necessary. If you would just lead us.” 

“Of course. Please follow me.” 

She quickly scanned the contract with her eyes, checking the room number and cursed herself for not having listened in the first place. The 505 Mini-Suite. Luxurious but not pompous. Caroline wondered how important he was. Wouldn’t his company pay for a master suite? She shook her head. It wasn’t her place to wonder about the guest’s life. She signaled the driver who carried the second suitcase to follow her. Mr. Mikaelson stayed back. Elevator rides were usually awkward as Caroline was not supposed to talk more than she had to. Wasn’t supposed to talk when she wasn’t asked. 

“It’s been a while since I have been to New Orleans. Has anything changed?”, he asked Caroline directly. She was surprised that he seemed genuinely interested. 

“It has not changed much while I lived here, Mr. Mikaelson. I only moved three years ago; I am sorry to disappoint.” 

“Oh, I have been away longer than this,” he answered, and Caroline did not know if he seemed disappointed, sad, or actually happy about this. 

The elevator opened and Caroline led them down the hallway of the 5th floor. When they arrived at the door, Mr. Mikaelson moved passed her and opened the door swiftly. It was late afternoon and the room was brightly lit from large windows which looked east- southwards. The hotel’s 505 Mini-Suite was tastefully minimalistic. Only a few art pieces, two paintings and one small metal sculpture, decorated the room and gave it a little bit of color. Otherwise, the room was painted in black and beige tones. It looked clean and professional. Not so much Caroline’s style but it wasn’t like she could ever afford the Mini-Suite anyway. 

“Is everything to your liking? Can I do anything else for you today, Mr. Mikaelson”, she asked after he had signaled his driver to leave. He took his time taking of his jacket and stroking through his hair before turning to her. She noticed how he looked her up and down. Nothing she didn’t know from any man she ever met. Thankfully, he didn’t attempt to joke inappropriately. 

“Maybe you can recommend a good restaurant for two? I am supposed to meet someone in 3 hours.” 

“The Garden Palace in the center is excellent. We can book for you if you wish.” 

“Thank you. I take that offer. Please, also schedule a taxi for me then. Let’s say 19:30. Will I make it there by 20:00 then?”

“Yes, sir.” 

“Perfect, thank you.” 

Caroline was already ringing the reception. She made sure to make eye contact with him when she gave Bonnie the time and place. He nodded in response. Then, he walked over to the big couch and sat down. The glass table in front was prepared with a crystalline bottle of whiskey and ice. Caroline knew he must have ordered it as it wasn’t the norm. He took it immediately and poured himself a glass. 

“Fancy one?”, his eyes sparkled mischievously, and it was the first time she saw him grin. Caroline felt her face heat up. She hoped it wasn’t visible through her make-up. 

“I apologize, I am on duty. Is there anything else I could help with?” 

He shrugged and took a sip before answering: “No. Thank you for your help, Ms. Forbes.”

She didn’t know why she was so taken aback by hearing her name. Maybe she thought he had already forgotten it, hence why he hadn’t addressed her until now. She almost came undone hearing him say her name, so she decided it was the best to leave. 

“I wish you a pleasant stay at the Hybrid Inn. Please, do not hesitate to contact the reception in case you need anything. Good evening, Mr. Mikaelson.” 

Caroline hurried to leave and closed the door behind her. In the elevator, she allowed herself to shake a little. She changed before returning to the reception. Bonnie was organizing papers. 

“I’m out,” Caroline announced and leaned on the desk for a second. 

“Oh, my god! Caroline how are you already back? You should have, like, bathed in this hottie’s presence for as long as possible!”, Bonnie exclaimed. So, Caroline hadn’t dreamt up his looks. 

“God, no. I’m glad I have my best foundation on, or this could have gone so embarrassingly wrong.” 

“Or well. Like…really well.” Bonnie winked at her. Caroline was too slow in her attempt to slap her friend’s arm who turned around to protect herself as soon as she had teased her. 

“Bye, Bon. See you tomorrow,” Caroline said and shouldered her bag. She felt like soaking in a bath with wine and cheese tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad days at work continue, so Caroline and Matt decide to hit the streets. At the bar, Caroline enjoys (or not so much?) a surprising encounter with a familiar face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might be happy to hear that the next 7 chapters are already done. So, I will try to upload another chapter every week! It could sometimes end up being a bit early like Wednesday or late like Friday, but nonetheless, it should work out for the next 7 weeks. I'm not sure how long this is going to be but I'm estimating 10 chapters right now. Plus maybe a Christmas/New Years epilogue? 
> 
> This is just a fun little exercise in storytelling for me. I don't have an editor, so you have to consume my garbage thoughts as they are, enjoy!
> 
> I'm not sure if US hotel management works much different. I am trying to apply some aspects of what my friend who works at a 5 Star Hotel (reservation/former reception) told me is going on at her workplace. Just keep in mind, I'm not from the US.

Inside, Caroline was raging. How dare he? This garbage can of a man! Trent was looking at her suggestively. He had come in to tell her to book for one of his acquaintances. Of course, that didn’t come without nit-picking her work again. 

“Ms. Forbes, you know you can bypass this with a simple key combination.” His tone left no interpretation that he was talking to her like a child. Matt, sitting on the computer in his corner, ignored them but Caroline could see him shooting a glance. If she would only so much as look at him longingly, he would probably stand up to Trent. And risk his job. Caroline knew she didn’t need this. She could handle it. Now, Trent leaned down, and reached around her to type the combination that auto-filled in the information of the guest. He stank of axe and cigarillos. 

“I didn’t know they had previously checked in,” Caroline tried to sound polite but earnest enough to signal that she was well-aware of the feature. If the guest had resided at the hotel before. Trent seemed to get a little worked up about it. 

“This is an important family, Ms. Forbes. They reside here once a year.” They have the most basic name ever, Caroline thought. 

“I will make a mental note, Mr. Trent.” 

“If you need some education about our most reliable customers, you are welcome to my office,” he offered and Caroline knew how he meant that, “It is only expected of the staff here. Or do you want to have the same fate as some trainees? You are not a trainee though, are you, Ms. Forbes?” 

Caroline looked at him and put on the most exaggerated happy face she could manage. She didn’t care if he caught the mockery. 

“Of course not, Mr. Trent! I will try to do my best!” He did not get the mockery but seemed happier now that she was emotionally at his feet. He squeezed her shoulder and lowered his voice only for her to hear. 

“Yes, you do that. What a lovely girl.” Caroline tried not to shudder. She wouldn’t give him any physical sign of intimidation. 

Without another word he left. He did not even address Matt with any goodbye. Finally, Caroline could allow herself to be angry. 

“Fucker,” she muttered under her breath.

“That was so creepy,” Matt said from across the room. 

The rest of the day went relatively smoothly. Caroline fulfilled her duties with the nuisance of Trent who, when he was able to, was incredibly keen that day to get under her skin. Caroline wondered if he had an especially bad day in his family today. The way he behaved she wouldn’t be surprised if his marriage was crumbling. Here and there when they passed each other in the hallway or elevator, he would touch her back or reach even lower; always with a smirk on his disgusting face. She was willing to endure it. She would have two days of free time starting tomorrow. Finally, a weekend again after what seemed to be centuries. It grinded her down nonetheless, so she invited Matt to go out. She knew he was also free on Saturday. It wouldn’t matter if they stayed out a little too long. 

By the time Matt was supposed to pick her up, Caroline already regretted her invitation. Her body ached from the work and it felt even worse because somehow knowing that she was free for the next days made her body feel even more worn out. After her nap, she had barely managed to pick out an outfit for the night. She decided to not think about it too much. If someone wanted to hook up with her, they had to take what they got. She chose basic jeans and a bralette. Simple, yet sexy. She would wear a light jacket anyways. She hadn’t shaved for weeks either since they were now allowed to wear dress pants at work as women. It was the best decision the hotel administration had made in a while. She skipped the make-up and hair-do as well. It was a relief to not care about that when she wasn’t working. 

It was an unspoken deal that they would go to the Mystic, the bar where Elena worked. 

“So, is everything cool? Like, with you and Elena?”, Caroline tested the waters. 

“Yeah,” Matt sighed, “We just kinda hit a stop or something. You know, she works the bar and I’m in the Inn most days. It is hard to keep up the regular dates. She was kinda worried how that would work out in a relationship.” 

“Can’t blame her,” Caroline answered. 

“We’ll see. But I told her we are coming.” He now seemed a bit more light-hearted, so she assumed Elena had responded well to his announcement. They were cute, Caroline had to admit. Elena was a sweetheart. A bit annoyingly opinionated and naïve sometimes but good deep down. And she served the best drinks. 

The New Orleans crowd was buzzing during the weekend. It was buzzing all the time but specifically on weekends. The city was still colorfully decorated from some summer festival that had happened the past days. The bar was as packed as the streets. Caroline could spot Elena serving a handful of customers at the same time and writing down orders before even starting to prepare the previous one. They made their way over and Elena waved before coming up and planting a kiss on Matt’s cheek and hugging Caroline over the counter. 

“So great that you made it!”, she screamed over the music that was blasting from the stage. It was a live band today. They were unusually poppy and danceable. Afterall, this was a pub, not a club. Caroline didn’t mind. She was in the mood to dance and there was already a big enough crowd to just mingle with strangers. 

“I’ll start with some shots tonight,” Caroline said. Elena laughed at her enthusiasm. 

“Had a bad day?”, she asked.

“More like bad week.” 

“Tell me about it.” She grabbed a bottle of Tequila from the shelf and poured all of them a glass each. They didn’t even ask Matt. He had to go along with it now and he did. They downed their glasses and while Matt and Caroline shook themselves, Elena poured the next and then vanished to serve some customers down the other end of the counter. 

“Meet here in like 2 hours if we lose each other?”, Matt asked. Caroline nodded. It was their usual routine. Once Caroline had gotten so drunk, she had left with some other girls losing track of the time and passing out in her new friends’ apartment. Matt had been calling her all night but in her drunken state she had not even heard her phone. Since then, it was better to make agreements. They downed their second shot and jumped into the crowd. The alcohol hit Caroline almost immediately. She knew it was probably not the best idea to drink Tequila on an empty stomach. On the other hand, if there was nothing to come up, then she technically wouldn’t suffer that much if it wanted to make its way out. 

She had lost Matt after the second song. Instead, she had found another girl that invited her for drinks. Caroline agreed enthusiastically. It turned out that the girl had just been dumped by her girlfriend, so their conversation ranged from anger to sorrow back to ceasing the night to the best of their abilities. Caroline stuck to Gin&Tonic as so often. It was just easy to down, though she could taste that Elena might have overdone the alcohol part a little. She was buzzing. When the girl tried to go in for a kiss, she was almost too slow to stop it.

“I’m so sorry, oh my god! I’m just super straight!”, she tried to explain herself. 

“Oh, damn. No, I’m sorry…” The girl looked visibly flustered. It was hard to interpret signals without a clear head. As a response, Caroline simple pulled her back on the dancefloor. The beat shook her body and for a moment she wondered if she would have a headache the next morning. She lost the girl just one song. She could see her in the distance making out with another girl. Good for her. Caroline started to giggle and danced by herself. One day, she would be free like this every weekend. She would own a hotel or restaurant and she would write the schedule. She had always dreamed of being a manager. If it wasn’t for Trent she would enjoy her position much more. That guy could go to hell. One day she would tell him. A bit disappointed at her thoughts, Caroline sighed. Why was she thinking about this now? She decided to take a break and checked her phone. The two hours were almost up. One more drink wouldn’t hurt. 

When she tried to get out, someone was suddenly pushing her. They were only bumping shoulders, but Caroline was too weak to hold against it and started flying to the side. She was already envisioning herself on the floor, trampled by all these people when someone caught her arm. 

“Woah,” a raspy voice called out. A hand grabbed her by the arm and stopped her from hitting the ground. They pulled her upright again and let go immediately as soon as Caroline was on stable feet; as stable as they could be under the circumstances. 

“I’m so sorry! It wasn’t my fault I swear!”, she yelled over the music. When she looked at the stranger, she froze. She knew that face. Blond curls, half-smirk on his face and eyes to die for. This was indeed embarrassing. This shouldn’t happen. This had never happened to her in the three years she had shared this city with her hotel guests. 

“Are you okay? You seem a bit…on edge, Ms. Forbes,” Klaus Mikaelson said. He still smiled slightly but he waited for her. Caroline composed herself and tried to seem as sober as possible. 

“Uh, no. No, I was just on my way to- to the table…to sit down.” 

“Wise. Let me help you with that.” He reached out, without touching her, and Caroline stepped forward. She felt almost guarded by him. Why did he say wise? Was he thinking she couldn’t handle some alcohol? Asshole. Nonetheless, she sat down and he joined her. 

“Are you alone here?”, she blurted out before realizing she shouldn’t. Again, this feeling of her face getting hot. Now, she didn’t wear make-up. Mr. Mikaelson didn’t seem offend though. He looked her up and down again. He was probably suspicious of her, Caroline couldn’t help but think. She must have looked like a drunkard. 

“Sometimes a night alone can clear one’s head,” he merely said. 

The wheels in Caroline’s head were spinning. 

“Sure,” she answered almost rudely. Inside she had kind of hoped for more information. For some reason, she wanted to find out things about him. She was just genuinely interested. In the next second, she mentally scolded herself again for wanting to make conversation with a guest. She had no business with him. A server came by and he ordered a whiskey. 

“And for the lady?”, the server asked.

“A water pl-“

“Gin Tonic,” she cut him off roughly. She could order for herself, thank you very much. Despite his good looks, this attempt at babysitting her didn’t stick well with Caroline. She always understood that good looks couldn’t hide bad attitudes. She felt a bit of satisfaction when he was visibly surprised, even a hint of anger for a second(?), when spoke against him that confidently. In the end, he gave in and relaxed against his seat again. The servant looked back and forth between the two of them, scribbled down the order and left to get the drinks. 

“Are you alone?”, he asked. 

“Maybe.” 

“So, you are not. Good. Where are your friends?” 

Caroline was getting increasingly getting more upset. She decided to throw her professionalism out the window. He was free to leave if he wanted to. 

“I can take care of myself, you know. I can go home right now.” 

“And yet you ordered another drink.”

“Because I want to maybe? And I can treat myself after a long week of work?” 

Despite her attitude, he smirked. Unsure if this was good or bad, Caroline stalled before continuing. 

“Sorry…I-I don’t mean to be rude. Please just forget we met and don’t tell my boss.” 

His face became more earnest at the mention of her job. 

“You think I would do tell on you? You really think that low of me?”

“Well, we’ve barely met, so… And if you’re like the usual business dude we serve then,” she made a grimace that indicated that hell would rain loose in that case. The server brought their drinks and Caroline downed half of it in one go. With some luck and drinking skill, she would not remember this encounter by tomorrow. 

“Fair enough,” he said and swirled the whiskey around in his glass with a smooth motion of his arm, “No, don’t worry. I have no reason to do you damage.” 

Caroline smiled in relief. 

“Thank god! I need this job.” 

He averted his eyes and smiled as well at her outburst. Now she was a ray of sunshine. Caroline decided that if he wasn’t gonna tell on her, she might as well use him how the sad girl used her. 

“Can I tell you a secret?”, she leaned over the table as If it was necessary to whisper in this room full of sound and music. 

“Secrets?”, he leaned in as well, still smiling, “I love secrets.”

“One day, I will take over this thing! I’m gonna throw out this jackass of a boss and run it my way!” Caroline couldn’t stop herself sounding passionate about this. She didn’t intend to. She loved this hotel chain. Everything was great. If there were complaints, the workers were heard. The only bad thing was that about the head of administration, you couldn’t really complain about. Not Caroline in any case. She didn’t know how she should justify it. She couldn’t prove how he treated her or other girls. There was no concrete evidence and otherwise he worked fine and kept his persona up. He was a professional in his purest form. 

“I take it you don’t like your boss?” Mr. Mikaelson seemed bemused at her rant. 

Caroline scoffed: “Who does? I mean he’s disgusting! I can handle it but the trainee girls? God, I wouldn’t wish that dude on anyone.” 

He looked up when he understood her implications. Caroline took that as evidence that he was a good listener at least. He didn’t have anything to say about it though. 

“It’s no good worrying about this,” she downed the rest of her glass, “Wanna dance?” 

“I’d rather not.”

“Why are you here then?”, she mocked him and got up. 

Despite his apparent discomfort, he followed her. Only to stop at the edge of the crowd and watch her get lost in it. She locked eyes with him and shrugged visibly, so that he could see she thought it was a shame then. She wouldn’t be bothered. After a few steps of dancing by herself, though she turned, and he stood right in front of her. Still moving only barely but Caroline resumed her dance nonetheless. She could always use him as a crutch if she were to fall again. Ever so slightly, he began moving with her. The lights were dimmed, and she was touching him with her whole body. She felt hot but not uncomfortable. He didn’t grab her and for the first time, she wished a stranger would just do that. She knew it was a rush of alcohol and adrenaline, but she pushed closer into him. When she felt his body moving into hers, she looked up and reached for him. Making a move had never been a problem for her. The fact that this was a guest was buried deep into her brain in that moment. He met her lips without fighting her. She felt powerful. Finally, he was grabbing her waist. Their tongues met for a moment before they were pulled apart by the crown around them. Caroline was swung around and, as if she were dreaming, got a glimpse of Matt in the strobing lights. He was waving at her. Shit, two hours. She looked at the man she had just pushed herself onto and signaled him to follow her. 

“Where have you been? Have you not checked your phone?”, Matt sounded worried rather than angry. He was too kind. 

“Sorry, sorry, sorry! I did but then things happened and argh… I’m fine, I met a …uh.” 

“Klaus Mikaelson,” he greeted Matt and extended a hand. Matt was visibly relieved to not find a drunk douche by Caroline’s side. 

“I’m Matt. So, I don’t know what your plans are, but I think I’m heading home.” He vaguely gestured towards the exit. 

“We were done anyway”, Mr. Mikaelson answred. A tiny part of Caroline hoped they weren’t. The presence of Matt, however, drew her immediately back to reality. 

“Yeah, I’ll come. You can go ahead, I just gotta,” she took a deep breath, “handle myself.” 

Matt nodded and went ahead. Caroline felt stupid. Maybe she had been hallucinating. 

“Are you able to walk by yourself?” he asked her. She took that as babysitting.

“Obviously,” she spit back and wonkily made her way to the door. He caught up and walked with her for a few meters. 

“I wish you a pleasant rest of the night, Ms. Forbes,” he said. It sounded more professional. It was the way they would talk to each other at the hotel. Caroline turned back to him, thought about her words for a moment and decided to keep it classy. She put on her best customer service smile. 

“Likewise, Mr. Mikaelson. Let me know if I am able to help you with anything else.” 

“I will.” 

She stepped out into the cool night. Matt was calling for her from across the street and she quickly ran over to him without looking back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a semi-successful night out, Caroline needs to adjust at work, trying to avoid Klaus Mikaelson as much as possible. Unfortunately, he has other plans with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, new chapter! I hope you like it. Not my best one not gonna lie but it serves to introduce the next story event. 
> 
> Once again: There will be no explicit sexual action. If that is what you came for, this is not for you! Just to save you the reading time.

Matt had made sure that Caroline was in bed that night. He even followed her inside and joined in on a post-party munch. The only thing Caroline had left was frozen pizza, so they exterminated that first with a big glass of coke each. 

Though Caroline was tired, the events of the night made it worth it. Being tired was such a beautiful thing when it was owed to living to the fullest. It was kind of forbidden, but that had made it exciting. The next morning, though, it was far from exciting. She woke up with a horrible headache, first of all. Sadly, the headache wasn’t bad enough to forget the night. She was disappointed in her inability to drink away the memories of a night out. She could do better. Now, all that she could do was throw in an aspirin and groan under her covers while the embarrassing memories tortured her soul. It was especially painful to think about what might happen at work if she saw him. The possibility was slim though. Maybe he would check out during the weekend. It was all she could hope for. She would never see that man ever again and all was well. 

He hadn’t checked out by Monday. It was the first thing Caroline checked when she was seated at her desk at 7 a.m. She felt like a convict being watched by her colleagues. Obviously, they wouldn’t know what had happened except if Matt would have mentioned Mr. Mikaelson to Bonnie in detail and she would have connected the dots. But Bonnie wasn’t working today and no one else had even asked about her weekend. Everyone was too busy with themselves. 

The day went quietly. Trent was out on a business trip and it heightened the mood tremendously. Everyone was just at ease. Except for Caroline who didn’t dare to come out of her office. If she was asked to help, she reluctantly walked over to the reception or restaurant to review reservations or simply give advice. Every guest that came up to her gave her a heart attack before she looked up and knew for sure that it wasn’t him. The others must have noticed that she was on edge. Everybody kept asking her if she was fine. So, she made sure to keep to herself in her small grey office. Except for when one of the receptionists couldn’t find reservation details again. They called her immediately. 

“I’ll be there in a minute,” she answered and made her way over there once more. It was a miniscule mistake and, thankfully, didn’t end in a mess like last time. Then, the doorman let in a guest and Mr. Mikaelson walked past. His head automatically shooting towards the reception desk to greet the staff as he did when he arrived. It was fleeting, but for Caroline the world stopped. He nodded towards the receptionist before locking his eyes on Caroline. He nodded politely at her as well and so did she, but when he continued to walk towards the elevator, Caroline could see that familiar smirk appear in the corner of his mouth, dimples showing. He hadn’t forgotten. Caroline wanted to melt into the ground. Of course, he hadn’t. He wasn’t even tipsy. But he also hadn’t exposed her. Just like he promised. He was out of sight and Caroline groaned, face in her hands. 

“Are you okay, Caroline?”, the receptionist asked confused. 

“Yes, thank you. I’ll be on my way.” 

Her little office booth was her safe haven in this hotel. She could breathe there. Feel at least a little more private. There were no guests, except for the ones who called. The receptionists were on display all day while Caroline was thankful to be able to be out of sight during most of her shift. Her face was free to redden in the privacy of her office. This whole situation might not be as bad in reality as it was in her head, but her head wouldn’t stop thinking. She was a professional but which maneuver did this situation call for? Caroline thought about apologizing. She could simply go and knock. A better way for her ego was to let it be and ignore the problem until it checked out. Ring Ring. The phone. 

“Forbes, reservations.” 

“Natalie from the reception desk here. Ms. Forbes, you are requested by Mr. Klaus Mikaelson at the 505 Mini-Suite.”

Being sucked into a black hole must feel more comfortable, Caroline thought as her stomach churned and turn and her heart rate increased rapidly. 

“Of course. Thank you, Natalie.”

…………….

She nervously pulled on her outfit and smoothed out wrinkles. Caroline thought about running. Caroline cursed herself for being more service-oriented than was good for her. He hadn’t said what he needed her for. He had only requested her. How flattering. How threatening. The day had gone so well and now the end of her career hung in the air. He wouldn’t be the first guest to try and blackmail an employee either. If that was his style. 

She had been avoiding knocking on his door for the past minute. Two knocks were polite but weak, three knocks were enforcing a bit more respect, four sounded urgent and anything beyond just panicky. Caroline went for three, her best service smile on display. It didn’t take him long to open the door. He must’ve been waiting. 

“Ms. Forbes,” he nodded again but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. He did not wait for her but turned back to other matters. Papers were scattered across the glass table. The crystalline bottle was gone. His hair was disheveled and still a little wet as if he had just begun dressing himself right out of the shower. Caroline stepped in and closed the door. The hotel valued the privacy of their guests. 

“I was informed you requested me, Mr. Mikaelson. How can I help you today?”

He began cleaning up the table and putting the papers in orderly folders. 

“I’ve got an important investors event to attend in about two hours and I’m running a little short. My assistant is spontaneously not available.” 

“I am sorry to hear that.” 

“It’s okay, I fired him immediately,” he said nonchalantly while scanning through the documents. Caroline swallowed. It was not her place to judge. It was not her place to ask. She looked around and came closer. 

“What is it I should help with then?”, she asked. He handed her the stack of paper he was just reading. 

“Please organize these according to the investors. They got a bit mixed up. One folder for each. I have to get ready.” 

“Of course.” She sat down on the sofa and began her task. She noticed Salvatore’s. They were one of America’s largest bank and also investors of the Hybrid Inn. While Mr. Mikaelson ran around frantically, Caroline got a glimpse here and there. She wasn’t surprised a business guy like him would react that harshly to an assistant cancelling on such a short notice. Technically, he and Trent were the same regarding a leading position in a multi-million-dollar industry. She questioned this kind of morale anyways. She couldn’t see herself losing empathy for her employees. When she had ordered everything, Caroline leaned back and took a look out onto the New Orleans skyline. It was early afternoon and she could imagine all the people buzzing in the streets. All the hotel staffs across the city stressing because of their expensive guests. During the past 20 minutes, Mr. Mikaelson answered the phone several times. Conversations never lasted longer than 2 minutes. All he did was assuring people that he would definitely be at this certain place at this certain time. 

“Another thing,” he started and rushed around the corner into Caroline’s view. His shirt was not tucked in yet, the collar wonky and he was typing on his phone, “My driver informed your manager and will be here shortly. What are your sizes?” 

“Excuse me? What?” 

“There is no way I can go to this event without an assistant, so I asked your manager to excuse you. You’ll be following me.” 

Caroline blinked. She was utterly perplexed. 

“My shift ends in half an hour.” 

“Perfect, then you are just in time to start your next one,” he answered and vanished into the bathroom again. Caroline could hear him brush his teeth. Someone was knocking on the room door, so she got up instinctively to let in the driver she had already seen when he had moved in a few days earlier. Now, he was carrying several garments and bags. He put everything down on the sofa and Mr. Mikaelson came to look at the clothes. Caroline was still unsure about what was happening. 

“I am sorry, but I am not going to some gala.” 

“It’s an investors meeting kind of thing,” he corrected her matter-of-factly. “These might not be tailored perfectly but the general size should fit. You can keep on your shoes. Just change into whichever you feel like.”

His tone was so calm and patronizing that she couldn’t stop herself from getting annoyed again. Just like when he wanted to order her a glass of water. 

“Maybe I wasn’t clear. I am not going to an event. My shift is over. I owe you no service beyond that.” 

His driver stared at her, then looked at his boss who froze. He turned and came up to her. She knew what he was trying to do. She wouldn’t be intimidated. He smiled but his eyes were piercing through her skull. 

“As I said, I talked to your manager.” Caroline waited without changing her demeanor. “You will be compensated for this, of course.”

“How much?” 

“We can talk about this in the car. Now get dressed. We have to leave.” The driver took this as a sign to leave the room. He sneaked past them without a word, closed the door, and they were alone. Caroline lost her defensive stance and reached up to fix his collar. She knew it was a bold move. Be it that he was surprised or else, but he did not stop her. For her own sake, she made sure to avoid his skin. Her fingers only minimally brushed his warm neck. This was about showing that she wasn’t afraid of him. She could also play the intimidation card. She could do as she pleased. 

“Better,” she said cockily and left him standing. She went through the clothes and decided on a tasteful business-casual costume. It looked designer. She didn’t want to know the price. It was a piece she could only dream of wearing when she was a manager herself. Without asking him, she took the costume and left for the door. He was still standing where she left him. He was watching her carefully. 

“I will change in my office and wait for you by the car,” she stated and went.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week, another chapter. I hope you still like it so far! I'm currently thinking about writing another fic which uses the king/prince and stable boy/knight or something trope. I'm just not sure yet if I make it a Call Me By Your Name AU or Stucky AU. If you have any opinion on this, you are welcome to comment here or message me on my tumblr (truedi.tumblr.com). 
> 
> Enjoy the mess that is about to unfold!

Insane. This was insane. It was unbelievable that he would’ve called Trent for that. Caroline wondered what her boss had said. It wasn’t that surprising that he would put the guest’s wishes above his staff even though it was technically illegal. In the end, she didn’t know if she had agreed to follow just for the money or to keep her job. If Mr. Mikaelson would have communicated her refusal to Trent, he definitely would have fired her. Yet she only felt like a commodity sold from man to man. She wanted to scream. That she had ever found this man attractive, and still did, made her sick. Her new year’s resolution for the next year would be a better taste in men. 

She had changed as quickly as she could while taking care that the outfit would not be harmed. After some thinking, she decided to leave her uniform at the office. They would have to return to the hotel anyways. She would have to give back the costume to him. Better they parted here than if he would drop her off at her place. He was not attractive enough to know where she lived. Not with that kind of money and power. Her make-up was minimal. Fitting for an assistant as she shouldn’t be seen. She wondered how this went down. Was she supposed to never leave his side or stay hidden as soon as he was at the event? She assumed he would tell her. He liked to command people as every man. Though the driver seemed to understand him without talking. 

When she was on her way outside, the girls at the reception stared but kept quiet. Did they know about the deal? Caroline couldn’t help thinking she was dirty for allowing herself to be sold out like this. She had wanted to play him but now, she felt he had successfully played her instead. She nodded politely towards the doorman that she saw almost every day. The car was waiting right in front of the hotel. Leaning against it was the driver slowly smoking a cigarette. 

“Miss,” he greeted her as if they hadn’t just seen each other at the 505. 

“Should I…sit in the front? Or is the back better?” 

“Back, driver’s side. He’ll probably go through the schedule with you.” 

Caroline went over to her side. She hesitated getting in. Her pulse was racing, so she figured it was best to get as much fresh air as she could before they left. Mr. Mikaelson didn’t give her much time as he appeared outside within minutes. Caroline was frankly a little surprised to find him looking so collected, his jacket open and a black business bag by his side, when she had fixed his collar only half an hour ago. The driver put out his cigarette and got behind the wheel. Caroline followed his pattern and got into the back seat next to Mr. Mikaelson. He didn’t even mention anything about their previous quarrel and went straight to the schedule. She would be by his side all night. Slightly to the left behind him. He gave her a small phone in case he would leave her on his own to have conversations behind closed doors. Caroline listened intently. 

“We will get out. I will mingle here and there but I have to be on stage by 5 p.m. Make sure of that. It is less rude if you insist on me leaving a chat as my assistant.”

It was news that he was actually opening the event. It only occurred to Caroline now that she had never asked him what his position actually was. She also reminded herself that it was none of her business. Despite her act of bravery earlier, she was now afraid to talk money. Maybe they should get the evening done first before she mentioned it. She kept quiet and waited for the ride to be over. As if he had read her mind, he pulled her out of her silence. 

“I was thinking to pay you double your salary per hour as well as a bonus of 1K for your trouble. Would that fulfill your expectations?”

Caroline snapped out of her haze and turned to him right when the car abruptly stopped at a red light. She was shaken. 

“I- yeah, yes. That was my expectation.” She had never earned that much money in a day. She was selling herself for money after all. This money, she thought, smelled nice and like a nice weekend spa trip with extra services. It was obvious that she hadn’t expected such a sum. She hoped they would spend some hours there. The more the better. He took her answer as an agreement. 

“The money will be on your account by the end of the week,” he said calmly. 

“Thank you.” Caroline didn’t know what else to say to that. 

“You’re welcome, Ms. Forbes.” 

……… 

The venue was east of the hotel, not far from Caroline’s place. It created a sense of security. If something happened, she could at least run home and flee. Despite what she knew from movies, Mr. Mikaelson insisted on that she stay away from serving him more than necessary. No letting out of the car or opening doors. He liked his independence. He preferred a shadow for an assistant. However, when they stepped into the luxurious hall, Caroline noticed he kept closer to her than the guideline he had lined out. Every time, she tried to increase distance, he, at some point, fell back closer to her. It made her nervous. She was used to perfecting the task she was given. It was him that made her fail and as she knew from experience, bosses could easily blame their mistakes on her. He didn’t pay her much attention though as soon as he got tangled up in small talk with other attendees. Everybody seemed to know him and tried to catch a word before he had to get up on stage. A waiter offered them champagne and Caroline declined. 

“Feel free to treat yourself, love,” he said to her. She ignored the pet name. He was obviously playing a role. He almost wore the service smile as well as an actual service worker. 

“Who is your company tonight then?”, the old man he was talking to asked. Caroline noticed him looking at her like Trent did. She smiled politely but waited for her “boss” to speak. Mr. Mikaelson moved closer to her. 

“Jeff, that is my faithful assistant, Ms. Caroline Forbes.” She could see the apology in his eyes. She didn’t blame him. She had catered such events before. She knew the small talk. They shook hands but apparently a simple assistant wasn’t interesting enough to converse with. She checked her watch and decided to save him from this conversation. 

“Mr. Mikaelson, excuse me. You need to get ready.” Jeff now insisted on him leaving as well. He didn’t want to hold Klaus Mikaelson back. With the fakest smile Caroline had ever seen her boss answered: “Thank you. It was a pleasure to talk with you.” 

“You’re not very good at concealing your emotions,” she said bluntly as they were on their way to the stage.

“What does it matter? These people aren’t good at reading emotions for all I know.” 

He got equipped with a microphone and taken by the event personnel. He told Caroline to wait at the table that was reserved in his name. The room was beautifully decorated, and the tables prepared for dinner. Waiters were running around balancing a variety of drinks and snacks before serving the big meal. People were laughing, some talking economics. Caroline felt incredibly out of place. She sat down at their table. She was surprised to find her name on a little card, indicating her seat. A waiter announced via microphone that it was time to start and everybody rushed to sit. Now, she was surrounded by businesspeople who introduced themselves to her. She merely introduced herself as the assistant and it was enough for most of them to not ask her any further questions. The room was dimmed. Mr. Mikaelson stepped out onto the stage under polite applause. He looked unusually chipper. 

“Welcome! What an honor that so many followed my invite tonight,” he began. Caroline was at the edge of her seat when he started talking about his past. How he wouldn’t have imagined that his family’s empire would grow so big with so many supporters. Anyone else and Caroline would fall asleep, but now she actually got a chance to know things about him. All the questions she would never ask because it was none of her business. A vow she would even keep while intoxicated. 

“As always, I am terribly hurt by the loss of my father and that he cannot attend anymore. He is with us somewhere. I know he would have loved to see how his hotels grow and innovate what it means to be a second home to travelers.” Caroline halted. So, he was also in the hotel business. Why would he not stay at his family’s… Caroline began to feel nauseous. Before he even ended, she realized she had made blatant mistake. Before working for someone, you should investigate them. 

“But I know that the future is bright because of all of you. You who are already investing, and you who might start investing tonight, into the beautiful Hybrid Inn Hotels. Thank you and enjoy your dinner!” He left the stage and the crowd cheered.   
Caroline crashed hard. She applauded but was close to tears. She wasn’t sad. It was the panic that build up in her like a balloon. It expanded and pressed on her ribcage and skull. It wanted out. Moments were flashing before her eyes: complaining to him about her boss, boasting about that one day she would take over, and him offering double her salary when she hadn’t even told him her salary. Of course, he knew. She obviously knew his father. The owner of the Hybrid Inn Hotel chain had died half a year ago, but his name wasn’t Mikaelson. He was English, however. The whole chain was, she thought as if to mentally fact check his reveal. Caroline calculated her chance of running away without someone noticing before he arrived at the table. Unfortunately, before she had fully thought through this idea, the people around her stood up to greet him as he joined them. Out of responsibility, she stood as well before he signaled everyone to take place. 

The food was brought immediately. Caroline didn’t say a word. As the assistant, no one expected her to. They congratulated him on his speech, and they discussed his father’s legacy. Apparently, he had siblings that held shares now. Caroline was honestly done with finding things out about him. She concentrated on her food and holding back her anxiety. From the side of her vision, she noticed him looking at here once in a while. He still seemed awfully chipper. She realized he was playing with her. The more she thought about it, the more she grew resentful. He should have told her. It was unfair. She couldn’t know everybody. She had never heard of him. His father had never mentioned him! He played on her embarrassment and it was dirty play. She wouldn’t have imagined herself in this situation in her wildest, catastrophic dreams. All she could do was play it cool. She still had a job to do which helped her keep the composure. 

“How is the food?” he whispered. Caroline swallowed hard. She could barely taste it. 

“Excellent. I’m guessing it is your choice?”, clearly signaling that she now knew he pulled the strings. He was in charge of this whole event, her workplace and her pay. He smiled which let Caroline know that he caught on.

“It’s one of my favorite dishes.” 

She didn’t answer him on that. He slightly leaned over to her. The others were still distracted with their meals and talking to each other. 

“I will converse all night. Try to enjoy yourself. I will call when I need you.” Caroline was ready to explode. She wasn’t a servant. Though, technically she was. Had to give in for now. 

“Of course, Mr. Mikaelson.” 

He let go of her and tended to the investors at their table. They obviously knew each other. Business was secondary, stories about their families and hobbies was what gained the trust. Caroline listened in here and there. Otherwise, she was mostly counting the seconds before she could finally go home. She would play her role tonight even if reluctantly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In her misery, Caroline meets some interesting people at the party and in the end, can't hold back her anger at Klaus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! I must say I enjoyed writing this end dialogue. I just love writing dialogue with a good amount of drama and tension, like a fist fight with words. Delicious. 
> 
> Turns out this fanfiction is going to be longer than intended. I have written 10 chapters so far, and I hope to finish it at 15 ish. I will just write as I go but I don't want to rush because I already feel that I keep some stuff rather short for the sake of the chapter length.

Caroline had never been so thankful as to when the dinner was finally over and everybody spread out. She tried to find a quiet corner. When that failed, she asked the servers directly where they had one. They led her into a kitchen storage room. It was cool and Caroline didn’t hold back her scream. Angrily, she kicked a bag of potatoes lying at her feet. She took out her phone and texted Matt. She had to talk about this. 

Matt are you there???  
Can I call??  
Please!!!!!!!!!

He didn’t answer. Out of all the things that could get her fired, she had chosen the worst way. Insulting your boss. The highest boss of all. Not only had she been outright rude and talked back to him on several occasions, she had also fuckin made out with him. Forced herself on him. He hadn’t called her out on it yet, but he would. This was clearly staged. Why else would he ask specifically for her to accompany him to one of his events. He enjoyed this, she realized. She saw the failure on her part, but she couldn’t stomach how terrifying his manipulation was. How sadistically he had set her up to make her downfall even more severe. More hurtful. More embarrassing. All that was left was to quit first thing in the morning, so that Caroline could maintain even a little bit of respect for herself. 

She waited inside the storage room for a while. The vegetables, cans and condiments wouldn’t tell on her. She tried to call Matt. He didn’t answer then either. She wondered what her options were. She could just leave. She would be fired anyways. He had promised payment, though. Like some morbid last meal on death row. She truly was angry. She always shied away from expressing it with her bosses. Now, it didn’t matter anymore. She could throw a scene! Caroline knew she couldn’t kid herself. In front of so many people, she wouldn’t want to tarnish her reputation. Maybe a future employer was among these business moguls. She would strike when the time was right. It was getting cold in the room.

When she got back to the party, there seemed to be more people than before. Servers were everywhere and Caroline thankfully accepted a glass of champagne from one of them. It tasted expensive. She couldn’t see Mr. Mikaelson anywhere. Good. 

“Bored?”, a strange voice behind her asked. She turned and stood face to face with what was probably the youngest person at this event. She could smell the wealth on him anyway.

“Maybe. I’m only the assistant. I’m not supposed to have fun, do I?” He laughed at that.

“Assistant of?”

“Klaus Mikaelson.” She had never said his first name. It felt foreign. She wished she could spit out the feeling it left on her tongue. 

“Impressive. He doesn’t seem like someone who is easily pleased,” he remarked almost maliciously. Caroline hadn’t expected people at this event that didn’t like Mr. Mikaelson. She assumed that it didn’t matter if you liked the person you invested money into. 

They went for some drinks. Tyler, so his name, was here with his mother, a stockbroker and long friend of the Mikaelson family. Mikaelson, in that case, was the mother of Caroline’s boss, she learned. She didn’t have to ask directly. She took it from the context of the stories he told her eagerly. Tyler was chatty. For the purpose of keeping up her appearance, that was good for Caroline. She told him she had studied hotel business and management but lied about how long she had been working for Mr. Mikaelson. He bought it. He was obviously planning on chatting her up the whole night when her phone vibrated in her pocket. 

“Sorry,” she excused herself. To keep up the façade meant to answer his calls. 

“Where are you?” His voice was clear without a hint of emotion. 

“At the bar. Connecting.” Silence on the other end for a bit. She could hear the crowd in the background. 

“Meet me on the terrace.” 

He ended the phone call abruptly and Caroline’s anger threatened to burst. Tyler was still standing at the bar, politely waiting for her. 

“Sorry, job calls. Maybe I see you later?”, she asked.

“Sure, I will keep an eye out for you!”

She maneuvered herself through the crowd trying to find the outer area. It was at the back of the building and was situated in a brilliantly colorful garden. Fairy lights decorated the trees and there was a jazz band playing. Mr. Mikaelson found her first. Despite those hours spent socializing, his face managed to light up when he saw her. Caroline fought to maintain her smile despite this little whisper in the back of her head that told her to stay angry. 

“Who did you get drunk tonight?”, he tried to joke. 

“Tyler Lockwood. At least one person my age at this…circus.” She was interested to see how he would react to her open aversion. To her disliking, he didn’t react much at all. Less to her insult than to the name. 

“No better face to talk to”, and she knew he meant that sarcastically. So, the disdain was mutual. She made a silent note to talk more to Tyler before the night was over. 

“Let me introduce you to an acquaintance of mine.” He gestured to follow her when another man stepped out of the crowd. 

“Acquaintance? Is that you call your own family nowadays? Elijah Mikaelson,” the man introduced himself. They barely looked alike.

“Caroline Forbes. Nice to meet you.” 

“My brother mentioned you graduated top of your class in management. I cannot imagine how you would end up as his assistant, then.”

Another jab. Caroline turned to her boss. He seemed satisfied with himself. What his brother had said was true. She had just never told Mr. Mikaelson that fact. She concluded that he had done his homework on her. Which made this whole situation even more unfair. 

“Well, yes. Sometimes, I ask myself the same,” she answered, “It was a good offer at the time.” 

“I suppose so. If you would like to try your hand at management, however, you can contact me.” He handed her his card. Caroline was suspicious but knew very well she couldn’t show it. What did Mr. Mikaelson plan? Setting her up to get fired only to bait her with a potential new job? She wasn’t as stupid as he thought she was. She would show him. If no one else called this man out, then she would. 

“Thank you. This is too kind.” 

“Consider it. I’ll be on my way. Brother, Ms. Forbes.” 

“Elijah.” 

He left the two of them to themselves. Caroline put away the card in her suit jacket and checked her watch. She was unsure as to how long such events lasted. The band was still playing, and some people were even dancing. Caroline herself was over it. 

“You look tired,” Mr. Mikaelson noted. 

Caroline couldn’t stop herself from shooting back: “I’ve been up since 6 a.m. What do you expect?” 

He seemed to think. Caroline stayed silent. 

“We can leave if you want. Just give me five minutes.” Before she could argue, he had left her standing. She tried to run after him, but the crowd was too thick. If he was serious, he had a weird sense of catering to her in the worst moments. Before overthinking it too much, she went and made her way to the parking lot. No one knew her, so no one was stopping her. If it was a joke, she could just say she took it seriously. He allowed her to go, so she did. His driver was there with the car. Caroline wondered if he had ever left. 

“Time to go,” she said in a tone that left no room for arguing. She wanted to just go home and fall asleep and not think about her future. Being alive was a pain right now. The driver got behind the wheel. Before, she could grab the door, Mr. Mikaelson appeared. He walked quickly but without a rush. She had hoped he would be too slow. Then she remembered that his driver probably wouldn’t leave without him. She should’ve called a cab. 

“I’m sorry, I got held up. They never stop talking.”  
Caroline’s chest swelled up. He showed no sign of remorse. She was done pretending that she didn’t care. 

“Are you, like, kidding?” Her voice was sour. She completely forgot about the driver inside the car. It was dark and they were the only ones in the parking lot. She was fully prepared to tackle this subject right then and there. The only thing stopping her from getting in his face was the car between them. 

“Who do you think you are? This was embarrassing!”, she yelled. He chuckled. 

“I found it quite hilarious if you ask m-“

“I’m not asking you!” Her anger was boiling over. She was leaning in as if she was readying herself to drag him over the car. 

“Now, now, Ms. Forbes. It seems you are overstepping some boundaries here.” He sounded serious, as if he wanted to threaten her, but she could see the dimples on his face. He found this funny. Her misery. Still. Caroline was ready to commit murder. 

“I cannot believe this. You’re such an asshole!” 

He shrugged and came around giving her the opportunity to get physical if she would dare. 

“Do you still want a ride?” 

“You can eat dirt for all I care. Getting me here just to expose yourself!” 

She almost spit in his face. Her eyes were glaring at him and he seemed to enjoy it. He watched her face change from anger, to disappointment and to doubt. Doubt about what she was doing here screaming at a multi-millionaire who paid her salary. He moved closer to her as he knew she would stand her ground. His voice was low. Caroline wondered if someone had heard her scream. 

“I didn’t do this out of malice. I did need an assistant and I know you are competent, Ms. Forbes.” 

She scoffed at him despite the fact that the way he said her name so softly made her heart skip a beat. He reached out and for a second Caroline thought he would pull her in. He only grabbed and opened the door for her. 

“I told you I liked secrets. Go home.” Reluctantly, she got in. He closed the door behind her. She was waiting for him to get in on the other side when the driver started the car and they left without him. She scooted over on the other side to catch a glimpse of him already on his way back to the venue. Caroline didn’t know how to feel. Her voice shook when she told the driver her address. If he heard her cry, he didn’t mention it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After last night, Caroline is struggling with what she wants and what she needs to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Kind of. If you didn't follow me on Tumblr: I had a surgery which took quite a toll + meds which take away the last bit of concentration and focus I have.   
Of course, it takes an emotional toil as well, which makes me want to throw this fic into the trash because ~self doubt~ but I'm gonna kick myself in the ass and finish it because there might be one person that kind of enjoys my trash, so here you are. I'm not sure if I will be able to keep up regularity because of my recovery but I sure as hell will try. 
> 
> P.S. I will also upload 2 chapters today because of the delay.

When her alarm rang the next morning, and Caroline found the suit she had worn before trampled on her bedroom floor, she realized that she had left her uniform at the hotel. Which meant she had to be there earlier to change. She put on some basic outfit and attempted to iron the suit a little to take it back with her. It wasn’t hers and she intended to get rid of everything connected to last night. Even the work phone was still nestled in the inner pocket. 

Like a machine, she got on her bus, entered the hotel and went straight to her office. She had forgotten her ride to work by the time she arrived. She felt unconnected from reality that morning. Her anger had subsided overnight. She was just tired now. She changed, checked mails and booked some reservations before grabbing the things that were his and made her way to his room. For all she cared, she could wake him up now and she wouldn’t even feel bad. It was almost noon. Time to rise and shine and take responsibility. 

She knocked more than four times for sure. It took a moment but eventually, the door opened. Caroline had to remind herself that she didn’t care. He was someone who slept in underwear, she couldn’t help but notice, nonetheless. 

“Good morning, Mr. Mikaelson. I accidentally took this with me last night.” He only stared at her not fully grasping that she was there in front of him. She had clearly woken him up. 

“You can put it on the sofa,” he said and held open the door for her. Caroline hesitated. She preferred to leave as soon as possible. Arguing would only extend her stay, she decided. She went over and placed everything down. 

“I want to apologize for what happened yesterday.” Caroline listened up. Apologies were new. But she was working right now. 

“It is fine, Mr. Mikaelson. Let me know if I can assist with anything else,” she answered dryly. 

He let the door fall shut. 

“I’m sorry, Caroline. I mean it. I took it too far. Even though it was funny… Just know that there won’t be any consequences.” 

“Funny?!”

“There we go…” 

“Do you really feel sorry or do you just pretend to be, like the fake ass that you are?” 

“You can hit me if that makes you feel better.” 

Caroline thought about it for a second. Then she also thought about her name on his lips in just that short fleeting moment. His comments had distracted her from savoring it. She didn’t even know anymore what she wanted him to say. Even if he said there wouldn’t be consequences, she couldn’t trust his words. She looked him up and down and got an idea Bonnie and Matt would kill her for. He had noticed her eyes. She sighed. No, no bad ideas. This wasn’t the time or place…or the person.

“I won’t hit you…” 

“But?” 

A break, silence. Caroline hesitated at his clear tease.

“I appreciate your apology, Mr. Mikaelson,” she answered, trying to keep her voice as stable as possible. “It was a pleasure working with you yesterday, but I must tend to my usual duties now.”

She felt herself grow hot. She hoped despite her blush she sold the attitude somewhat. His demeanor didn’t change at all as if he still expected something happening from her side. She was taken back to the night in the pub. Where she had just grabbed him, unknowing who he was. When she waited patiently for him to answer, his face dropped ever so slightly before getting all professional as well. In her mind, she felt triumphant about having him a little disappointed. 

“I am sure it wasn’t a pleasure, Ms. Forbes. I’m sorry once more but thank you for the help.” 

She nodded and made her way past him as he held the door open for her. He watched her leave down the hallway, head held high and with a confident swing in her walk.  
……….

Caroline was no prude. She had had a fair number of sexual encounters throughout her life in the weirdest places. College had been the outlet for her inner ignored high school self. That did not mean there were no surprises about what she would do any longer. Regretfully, she had to admit she would have liked to stay. When he had teased her, she had been close to just giving in, though she knew he definitely didn’t deserve it. What it was about him, she couldn’t figure it out. There were so many fish in the sea. She had met a good fish even last night: Tyler, a genuine, kind, even if slightly too talkative guy. Yet, Caroline could not stop herself from daydreaming about blue eyes and blond curls.

After this highly embarrassing event and morning encounter, there was no way she would return to him on any occasion. She was done. Kind of. She still wanted to…get to know him, but decided it was better to let it rest. She had to get away from this. There was nothing to gain. The whole situation was too bizarre to continue with a clear mind. Matt had rushed in that morning when she was back at her desk. 

“I read your messages! I’m so sorry, Care! I was with Elena. What happened?” 

“It’s fine now. Sorry, didn’t wanna scare you.” 

She had also decided to keep this story to herself for now. Matt would worry unnecessarily. Bonnie would most definitely kill her. 

And so, all she could do was work. Trent was back from his trip. Back to tyrannize the staff. Despite the fact that Mr. Mikaelson had said so, she doubted he had actually contacted Trent given that he made no attempt to ask her about it. She knew he would be too curious or stupid to not at least make some joke. 

“Ms. Forbes, I see you are putting in the extra work as usual. I am happy to see that,” Trent chatted her up when she was setting up the conference room for a scheduled meeting. 

“Thank you, Mr. Trent.” He came closer than what Caroline would have liked. A dirty grin spread on his face and Caroline realized they were alone. 

“I know you have high hopes. You have been working so hard the past years, maybe it’s time for a promotion.” 

Now, Caroline paid him attention. She was cautious, knew that he was baiting her for some reason. She played the humble worker. 

“I’m not sure I’ve worked here long enough. But thank you.” 

“Of course, I would need to know that you really want it. Managers have to trust each other.” 

Caroline stepped backwards. His breath was sickening. She bumped into the table behind her. This was not good. The alarm in her mind went off. Would he dare to touch her here? In broad daylight? Could she tell on him if she just let it happen? Caroline doubted she had more power than him in that matter. It was her word against his. 

“I think I’m good.”

“Do I understand correctly, you deny my offer? You’re not as stupid as half the other staff in this hotel, Ms. Forbes, I thought you would seize the opportunity,” he casually insulted her and her co-workers. She felt too sick to move. 

Thankfully, in that moment, he was interrupted with his speech. Caroline barely recognized that it was Mr. Mikaelson stepping in on them, and hastily used the opportunity to get out of Trent’s reach when he stepped back to avoid being caught too close to her. 

“Mr. Trent, do you have a minute?”, he asked when Caroline immediately fled past him out of the room. She tried to whisper a silent thank you, but her voice felt tight and breathless.  
Relief overcame her when she realized what a hit she had just avoided. She vowed to never be alone in a room with her boss again. Not realistic but possible if she just tried hard enough. It was just an extra obstacle on her career ladder. 

Matt and Bonnie were free to come over to her place that evening. Caroline had invited them to some food and drinks. They didn’t question her spontaneous invite more than necessary. Caroline felt distraught. She needed her friends to distract her. If she would really quit or get fired, they also had to know as soon as possible. It was just fair. She felt awful on her way home. Nothing had been going smoothly the past week. Her mother had always said that in the darkest days, there were always signs to not give up. Caroline wasn’t too sure about that right now. 

Three stops before hers, she was huddled in her seat. Her head was resting against the window and she watched people step off and on the bus. Curiously, she noticed a man in a long grey coat hopping on. His black hair was gelled back, and he looked too expensive to be there. Tyler Lockwood. Caroline shot up and watched him walk down the aisle. When he looked which seat to choose, he saw her, and his face lit up. Caroline took her stuff off the seat next to her, so that he could sit down.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” 

Caroline decided to tell half the truth.

“On my way home from…my second job. Sometimes, I work at the Hybrid in when my boss doesn’t need an assistant. Some work experience.” He bought that. He was on his way to a meeting, he told her. 

“Afterwards, I’m gonna have dinner with my mom. It was nice meeting you again. Here, wait,” he took out his card and handed it to her, “Call me. I’m not gonna let you get away again. Tomorrow maybe? I can get you from work.”

Caroline nodded: “Sounds good. I have to get off.” 

He made way for her to squeeze out. 

“See you tomorrow!”, she shouted when the bus came to a halt and she jumped off. She wasn’t too keen on a date, but Tyler was nice. At least she could find out about Mr. Mikaelson through him. It was unfair in a way, but Caroline knew that Tyler must have had some major flaws. He wasn’t rich in the business world for nothing. Those investors were all the same. He already talked as much as they did.

Matt and Bonnie arrived together, and they arrived late. The latter had spent half an hour on choosing wine. 

“You know it’s not that important right?”, Caroline laughed. 

“If we finally manage to have a good night after weeks, I can also spend some dollars more on a good wine.” 

“I think so too,” Matt said, “It’s nice.” 

They were chatting while Caroline prepared lasagna. She was happy to hear that Matt and Elena were giving the relationship a try. Matt’s work schedule was a pain sometimes, he knew that. He was determined to make as much time as possible. 

“Thought that she could move in with me. I haven’t asked yet.” 

“You might as well try,” Bonnie encouraged him. She was living with her sister and it worked too well to ever consider moving in with someone else. Bonnie also wasn’t keen on dating most of the time. 

“It feels so…adult.”

“You have to become an adult at some point,” Caroline said. “You cannot be a lonely bachelor forever.” 

“I’m not lonely! I have you, guys.” 

“About that…”, putting the lasagna in the oven, Caroline closed it and sat down with her friends, “I have thought that maybe I should…change jobs. Move away maybe.” She poured herself some wine and waited for them to process the topic. 

“Uh, what?”, Bonnie looked at her expecting an explanation. 

“I thought you liked the job?”, Matt asked. 

“Yes, but…I feel like I’m going crazy. Trent is worse than ever; Nothing is going great and I just feel like I’m missing out on opportunities if I let myself get stuck in this hotel.” Her voice was shaking. She hoped they would understand her without asking for any details. 

“I get it, Care.” Bonnie grabbed her hand. 

“Me too, but it would feel weird without you there.” 

“Thanks, guys. I really want it to work. Thought I’d just let you know how I feel.”

Her friends got up and wrapped her in hugs. They made work and life bearable for Caroline. Frankly, if she would move, she would have to leave them behind, and it would suck. It felt like making friends was getting harder the older she got. The idea of living in a whole different place was exciting, yet terrifying. Caroline had to think through if it was worth it being on her own.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note that I also appreciate every like and comment even if it doesn't seem like it! I see you and appreciate the criticism. I'm just really awkward and never sure what to answer because as much as I would like to discuss the plot, I also don't want to give it away for now. 
> 
> THANK YOU TO YOU ALL WHO READ THIS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!

Bonnie was waiting for her at the reception. She was nearly jumping at the sight of Caroline in a light dress, her hair open and a little tousled from the tight bun she had worn at work all day. She had told her friend last night that she would go on a date. Keeping it secret was unnecessary danger. Bonnie had immediately googled him and was happy to find out that the Lockwood family was loaded. 

“I’m not doing it for money, Bonnie.” 

“It’s a plus, though.”

They would go out for a stroll. Maybe eat something small somewhere. Caroline would keep Bonnie updated. If there was no text by midnight, Bonnie was free to call the police. Caroline handed over her work uniform. Her friend would leave it at her place on the way home. Bonnie had a key. 

“I’m so excited, oh god.” 

“Why are you looking forward to this more than me?”, Caroline mocked her. 

“Because your mind is still on Mr. Goodlooks in 505.” It was a joke that stung. Caroline couldn’t deny it. If Bonnie only knew. 

Suddenly, Bonnie whispered: “Talking about that…” 

It was Mr. Mikaelson followed by his driver. He stopped at the sight of the two women talking away at the desk. 

“Ms. Bennett, Ms. Forbes.” He looked her up and down as if he’d never seen her before. Not like this, he hadn’t, she remembered. Both women returned the greeting. Right on the clock, the doors to the hotel opened and Tyler came to pick her up. It filled her with a sense of satisfaction that the other man frowned at the sight of him. Tyler played it smooth. 

“Hey, how’s it going. Ready to go? Good afternoon, Klaus,” he addressed him. 

“Tyler,” he answered dryly but offered his hand. 

“Mind if I steal her?”, he joked. Caroline felt the tension getting worse. Was Tyler usually addressing him by his first name? It felt off limits.

“Not at all,” Mr. Mikaelson lied.

“Well, time to go,” Caroline tried to de-escalate the situation, “Bonnie, I see you tomorrow. Mr. Mikaelson.” She grabbed Tyler by his hand and took him with her. 

Her date was old-school. It was charming on one hand, a little annoying on the other. Her biggest pet peeve was when someone didn’t let her pay. Not even for herself. Tyler insisted. It was an argument every time until Caroline let it go before it could escalate. She understood that he had the better income…or savings in general, but she would be stupid to owe anyone anything if she didn’t have to. She felt patronized by him, too. She started to think she just looked like a patronizable person. Otherwise, she didn’t know how to explain why everybody wanted to decide for her. 

“You could be really successful,” he said, his mouth full of some fancy Indian dish Caroline had never heard of. He had insisted on trying “this awesome new place”. She knew he tried to impress her.

“I know. I just have to work my way up.” 

“You could come work with my family’s company. I can get you in.” 

She pursed her lips and took another sip of wine. He had told her about his work all day. He had also told her about the various trips he had taken, from country to country, and whereto he was about to go next. Every time, Caroline had told him stories of her upbringing, it had reminded him of something in his childhood, only that it was more opulent and extravagant. The similarities were …debatable to her. 

To Tyler’s dismay, she paid for herself this time. They took a stroll through the streets before she had to catch her bus. He had offered to drive her. Caroline had declined. By the time, they were saying goodbye, he had finally caught on to the fact the date hadn’t impressed her as much as he had hoped. 

“Are you alright? If the food wasn’t your thing, I can make up for it next time.” 

Caroline sighed: “It wasn’t that. Sorry, Tyler. I guess I’m just not in the shape to date right now. It was nice though.” 

“Oh, okay. Is it work or?”

“No, no. I just have a lot on my mind right now.” 

“Did he tell you not to talk to me or what?” He sounded disgusted now. 

“Who? Mr. Mikaelson? Why would he?” 

“Oh, come on! You’re his little assistant! His family always wanted to outplay mine. Did he tell you to come onto me?” 

“What? Who came onto who here, Tyler?” She watched him taking a deep breath. He was upset. Caroline was upset as well. Mr. Mikaelson ruined everything. It was always him. The date had been far from perfect. It had also been far from a catastrophe. Now, they were fighting. She had been hopeful with Tyler after all. She tried to justify using him as a distraction, but the mental gymnastics didn’t play out. Okay, she was a little at fault here, too. Her fault though was that she should’ve just stopped all this earlier, way earlier. Before they went on this date, before they even met, before she kissed this stranger in the pub. Maybe even before she took the job at the Hybrid Inn. How should she have known? All the men connected to this hotel seemed to be insane and demanding. All she wanted was to be independent. All she wanted was for them to shut up. 

“Everybody tries to push me around. But no more, okay? You either treat me with respect or you don’t talk to me at all. This isn’t some scheme or whatever you think. And I don’t have time for extra lately, okay?”, she confronted him.

He blinked. Was he surprised she said more in one go than she did the whole night? She saw his surprise vanish quickly and turn into a stare of self-righteousness and defiance. Tyler decided her temper wasn’t worth it. 

“Then I guess I won’t bother you any longer. Good night, Caroline. I’m sorry I held you up.” He left her standing without another word. 

Caroline couldn’t hold back from tearing up. Again, she was made to feel as if it was her fault entirely. She was going to strangle someone before the week was over. Or strangle herself if she had to. 

……..

The only good part about night shifts was the silence. Less staff was present, and most guests kept quiet or slept altogether. There burned light in some conference rooms where the partners sat several time zones away. Occasionally, someone ordered coffee or tea. Caroline took a break in the kitchen of the restaurant. Apart from some gastronomy personnel, the restaurant was closed and dark. They gave her the coffee that was left over from the brewing. When everything would crash, Caroline could still open up a café, the dream of nearly any millennial stuck in an uncertain job. 

“Shouldn’t you take up reservations?” 

Caroline nearly choked on her coffee. She hadn’t heard anyone coming and the lights were too dim too see in the kitchen. Mr. Mikaelson joined her. For the first time, he wasn’t dressed for business. 

“I’m on my break, Mr. Mikaelson. Workers are legally required to take one.” 

“There’s no one here. How long do you plan to call me by my last name?”

It had never even occurred to her to switch. Even though, by now it probably made sense. At least, as long as they were by themselves. She avoided answering his question though. Instead, she drank the last of her coffee and put the cup in the dishwasher. 

“Why are you here then? How did you get in?”, she asked less out of curiosity, more out of annoyance. 

“I own this hotel. I have a key card to every room. I asked around where you were.” 

“Not suspicious at all to everyone working with me.” She had almost grown resistant to embarrassment by now. 

He smiled at her comment. It was obvious that he didn’t care about the others. He probably had enough money to silence everyone who wanted to badmouth him, she thought. 

“What do you want?”, she asked boldly. He was here for a reason. He had never sought her out like that before. 

“How was your…date yesterday?” He tried to hide his curiosity behind indifference. Caroline, however, remembered his face when he had seen Tyler in his hotel. By her side. 

“You came to ask me about that?”

He shrugged.

She continued to tell him: “It was great. Until he got suspicious that you set him up with me. I don’t know what kinda fight you two have but I want none of it. Thanks for ruining my date without even being there.” 

To her displeasure, he started laughing. 

“That is awfully funny, you must admit. I didn’t know he was that afraid of me.” 

“I find none of it funny…,” but she started to chuckle as well. She couldn’t suppress it. Tyler had made a fool of himself by reacting like this in front of her. To be fair, he had already made a fool of himself during the date. 

“Maybe he is. Doesn’t care enough about you though to not talk about himself all the time.” 

“Then we met the same person.” 

“Anything else you want to know?” 

“I guess I’m good. I can definitely sleep now.” 

“I’m glad to hear that, Mis-,” she paused, “…Klaus.” 

They watched each other. Caroline could feel how much he liked hearing his name out of her mouth just as she did like hearing hers out of his. She was unsure if he hated her and this was all some weird power fantasy for him. She wondered if he had a thing going with someone in each of his hotels. The thought stung a little. 

Her curiosity spilled over and she asked outright: “Why are you doing this?” 

She had lowered her voice out of fear someone could listen in. It still sounded so loud echoing from the walls of the kitchen. 

“You’ve ruined my life enough in just one week. Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“I’m sad to hear this.” He actually looked remorseful to her when he said that.

“I told you I’m not doing this out of malice. I simply like to play and keep secrets. 

“This isn’t what I would consider playing. You’re one of the most disrespectful people I’ve ever met!”

“I see your point. Again, I’m sorry. Then, let me be honest.” 

He closed the gap between them. Caroline was caught between him and the counter. It was so similar to when Trent had cornered her. With Klaus she felt different though. Her own double-standards caught up to her. His face was so close she could feel his breath.   
“I fancy you, Caroline. You excite me. And I know you feel the same.” 

She wanted to protest but he cut her off. 

“No, it’s my turn now. I know you don’t want to admit it. If you’re so upset about what I did, what was with you looking me up and down yesterday? When we were all alone in my room? You realized what I offered, but you held back. A part of you still desires me.”

Caroline was dumbfounded. He had laid his cards out on the table so openly. Her cards as well and it was difficult for her to find a counterargument. She was certain she could shut him up easily the way they were standing in this moment, but she didn’t dare. It would just give his statement more truth. 

“And what about it? You’re not the only guest I ever looked at. I know where to draw the line.” 

She felt him laying his hand on her waist and gently grabbing it. It made her mind buzz.

“Let me know where you draw it then.” He let go of her and turned to leave. “I’ll be in my room. Just come if you want to finish what you started.” 

She listened to his footsteps walking through the restaurant, opening the door and letting it close slowly. This was the ultimate offer. Caroline’s head was still spinning. All she could think about was him, his hands, his mouth. She could just get it over with. He wanted her. Then, who was she not to act on what she wanted? 

Caroline made sure no one saw her when she made her way out of the kitchen and to the fifth floor. Her legs were shaking at the thought of him waiting for her. Once more, she was doubting if she was the one in charge here. He might have set her up again. She hated how she couldn’t recognize his manipulations until it was too late. She couldn’t complain about what it had led to either. She was ready to take what she wanted. And tonight, she wanted him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay again! I hope you like the story. It should come to an end pretty soon. Currently trying to figure out how to end it well.

Caroline felt light. Airy. Her limbs effortlessly moving through gusts of wind. They pushed her upwards and she found herself in a foyer. Her foyer. Her hotel. She greeted guests left and right, signed agreements; She was the leading lady. It was the dream she had always hoped would come true. She felt her limbs growing heavy and decided to make use of the suite. In her dreams, she could just take it when she needed to.   
The scenery changed: clearly the suite, impeccably clean and a bed as white as snow with tasteful golden decorations adorning the futon and pillows. She let herself fall into the mattress. It was so soft. Engulfing her body perfectly, she gave herself fully to the bed when her hand bumped into something. 

Caroline was dragged out of her dreams. Immediately, she knew she wasn’t supposed to be sleeping. Her shift was on. Where was she? It was quiet, the room dimly lit. She turned her head towards where her hand had hit something. It was another body. And she came to her senses. That haze that only a deep nap that lasted too long could give you was wearing off. She had to leave. Get to work. Get out quietly before he woke up and could address this situation that she surely didn’t want to address. 

Her clothes lay on the floor. There was no other choice but to leave the bed and dress up inside the room. She stirred and wiggled her way out over the edge of the bed. Thankfully, it wasn’t the squeaky sort. She froze when Klaus moved a little in his sleep and waited for him to calm down again. Could he smell fear? Her eyes lingered on him for a millisecond. He looked almost innocent in his sleep. So unlike the man that had dared her down in the restaurant a few hours ago. Whom she had given herself to willingly in exchange for pleasure. The man she had taken for herself in a selfish act of indulgence.  
Picking up her socks and panties, she felt proud. She had stood her ground against him. Taken what she wanted. It hadn’t been difficult. He hadn’t complained. She still felt his heat and skin against hers. Her thoughts wandered to the kisses he had planted all over her body. She had to check if there were marks later. Smiling, she couldn’t decide if she would like or hate that. If not before, now she had to admit that she was absolutely smitten. 

How she managed to get dressed and head out all without waking him, Caroline didn’t know. No one seemed to question her, though a look on the clock told her she had been out of her office for about 3 hours. It was almost the end of her shift. 

As soon as she was allowed to leave, she packed her things and made her way home. She still felt elevated. Caroline was surprised that there was less regret than satisfaction. This wasn’t according to code or personal principles. She watched the people pass through the bus window. Hopefully, she would be able to sleep. Maybe it was time to tell Matt or Bonnie. In that moment, it felt natural and easy. Tomorrow it could still cost Caroline her job or earn her the judgement of the entire staff if someone was to find out. Her friends should have a fair chance to be prepared. Curious how she could think so calmly about that now when 24 hours ago, she would’ve panicked.  
The minute she lay down in bed, her phone rang. She didn’t bother to get up and answer it, so she listened to her ringtone until it died down. Barely two hours later, her doorbell rang instead. 

“Ugh,” she groaned at the disturbance. Mindlessly, she pulled open the door with more force than necessary. Her mind returned immediately when she stood face to face with the man she had just left this morning. 

“What are you doing here?!”, she exclaimed.

“Hello to you as well, Caroline.”

“How do you know where I live?” 

He shrugged as if it wasn’t in any form creepy that he had popped up on her doorstep without warning. It dawned on her that he could simply look up her work contract. 

“I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer, so I checked your contract. I know it’s invasive but please, I feel like we need to talk,” he said calmly and made no attempt of pressing her. 

She thought about it. Her apartment was a mess but what did he expect showing up uninvited. Still, the intrusion of privacy concerned her.

“If you promise me to never turn up unannounced here like that ever again sure,” she said with a hint of sarcasm. “Come in.” 

………..

It was surreal having him sit in her small kitchen. She used making coffee as an excuse to not sit down with and leaned against the counter. The machine was bubbling. Caroline decided there was no reason anymore to be hostile. He had clearly come closer to her than most. She was fairly certain he wouldn’t use it to ridicule her. 

“So, what’s up?”, she asked nonchalantly. His face was warm when he looked up. She suspected he was joking with her but the way he smiled was different. 

“Well, I’m not sure what to say,” Klaus rested his elbows on her tiny kitchen table. “You were gone when I woke up without a goodbye.” 

“I had work to do.” 

“Yes, of course.” He chuckled. The coffee machine stopped making noise and Caroline poured them each a cup. “Thank you”, he said politely when she placed his in front of him. 

She mustered up the courage to tell her truth flat out: “I mean, we are done. Like, you got what you wanted. I got what I wanted. What else?” 

“I see, you assume I’m done,” he took a sip of his coffee, “which is not true.” 

“Uh, okay?” Surprised, she waited for him to explain. 

“I booked a table at the Garden Palace tonight. I know you aren’t working. I’ll be picking you up at seven.” It was the restaurant she had recommended to him the day he checked in. She picked up on his implications but wouldn’t be satisfied until he would say anything straight out. 

“Is this a date?” 

“If you want it to be, sure,” he said with the fake coolness of someone expecting their crush to ridicule them. 

“Are you taking me out?!”, the realization dawned on her more and more. “No, this is inappropriate.”

“You mean like when you pulled my hair and told me to fu-“ 

“Oh my god, stop!”, she shouted while he turned red and started to smile like a schoolboy that had gotten away with telling his first dirty joke. Caroline knew she could get a little bossy when in the mood. She couldn’t help but turn red as well at the memory of last night. 

“I told you I know where to draw the line. I can’t lose my job.” 

“Trust me, you won’t.” 

She wanted to trust him. She wanted him. The situation was complicated. Caroline sat there in silence just looking at him. Looking for a hint of fake kindness in his eyes but found none. He was genuine about this. He spoke before she was done thinking it through. 

“Take it for what you will: I meant it when I said I fancy you. I enjoy you. You cannot blame me for trying to be decent and take you to dinner.” 

Caroline sighed. 

“We send all our guests to the Garden Palace. I cannot be seen there with you.” It almost sounded like an insult, but she didn’t correct herself. He grinned. 

“You can pick me up if I get to choose the place. You have a lot to make up for. If you aren’t on your best behavior all night, it’s over. And you will stay the fuck away,” she insisted.

“I won’t argue with that, love.” 

He downed his cup in one go. Caroline simply left hers and followed him out of the kitchen towards the door. His driver was waiting on the side of the street for him. 

“Seven it is,” Klaus shouted while making his way towards the car. His step was jauntier than usual Caroline noticed. She didn’t answer him on that. She waved at his driver who was standing besides, smoking as usual. He waved back. By now, Caroline thought, she should know his name. 

She closed the door and went straight for a shower. This was insane. Her stomach churned. She knew it wasn’t sickness. Or at least not a bad kind of sickness. The cold water washed over her, cleared her mind, before it heated up and relaxed her muscles. Why wasn’t this ending? She had done what she had to do last night. Caroline had been convinced this was a fling. A desire that she had to fulfill and then she could return to just be herself again. He didn’t let her off, and by now, she was unsure if she wanted him to. 

Her closet looked barren. She had thrown out quite a lot during her last spring clean. She shared the same size with Bonnie though. An unknown number stared back at her when she unlocked her phone. Now was not the time to save it. Maybe after the date. 

“Care, hey!”, Bonnie answered. Caroline thanked god that she wasn’t working. 

“Bonnie, hey…Could I …come over? I need an outfit. I’ll explain it when I’m there.” 

“Uh, are you alright?”, her friend asked cautiously. “Sure, I’m home. You can come whenever.” 

“Perfect. I’ll be there in half an hour.” 

She hung up and grabbed some pieces that were appropriate for a night out. There was no need to necessarily be well-dressed. Caroline already had a restaurant in mind. It was her favorite. It was also reasonably priced. Where normal people went to essentially. She laughed at the thought of Klaus coming there overdressed. 

...........................................

Bonnie welcomed her warmly. Caroline could feel her holding off on asking any serious questions. She started to change into several outfits to present to her friend while the other put out bottles of wine. 

“Thank you for doing this,” Caroline said. 

“No big deal. I love to make my friend’s dates a success. Though, why didn’t I know about this earlier?”

“It’s kind of a …weird thing.” 

“Well, explain it. Or you won’t get these shoes.” 

Caroline sat down with her without touching the wine. 

“Okay, but don’t be mad. You know…the guest from last week?” 

Bonnie’s eyes widened in shock. 

“No! NO WAY!”, she screamed so loud that even the neighbors must have heard. “How? When? Hot guy? That’s spicy! Also, inappropriate though…You could get fired for this.” 

“I didn’t even confirm if it’s him!”, Caroline tried to defend herself. 

“Well, is it?”

“Ye…” 

Bonnie slapped her shoulder. Caroline yelped. 

“You’ll get fired for this! Please, Care, don’t.” 

“By now…I’m kinda sure I won’t. He owns Hybrid Inn.” 

Bonnie was stunned. It was the first time Caroline saw her friend that shocked.

“You’re lying! Are you? No way!”

“Yep.” 

“He’s the son of -?” 

“Apparently.” 

“Caroline that’s insane. Are you kidding me?”

“No, I swear.” 

Exhausted, Bonnie poured herself more wine and gulped it down. Caroline waited patiently for her to speak. Maybe she would just go put on a jeans and shirt. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing. If you mean it then that dude is filthy rich. Also, filthy responsible for your job and if he fires you, I don’t know what to do.” 

“I promise it’ll be fine. Will you help me choose an outfit?” 

“What choice do I have? We better impress him, or work will only be half as fun in the future for me.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you had great holidays, or at least bearable <3, and will start the new year with good energy and no fucks to give!
> 
> PSA:mention of sexual harassment in this chapter

Caroline was close to blowing it all off last minute. By half past six, her hands were shaking a little. If she had denied him, she might never get this chance again. Yet, she would have saved herself some drama that she explicitly told Tyler she didn’t want to have. 

After hours of quarreling and explaining everything to Bonnie, she had settled on a classy but simple outfit. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to look drop-dead gorgeous?”

“It doesn’t fit the locale, Bonnie!” 

“Yeah, as I said, why do you go there with a rich dude that could ruin your life instead of some fancy 5-star place? This is a bad idea!” 

Caroline wouldn’t waver. It was a good plan. If he was to be rude to the waiters or clientele, she would immediately be able to weed him out as an asshole for good. Also, if he truly did want to impress her and show her he cared, then it was only fair to go to her favorite place. She figured she could at least meet Bonnie in the middle by changing into a fancier dress then. 

He was painfully exactly on time. And he was alone. The car behind him was smaller. Not his usual darkened-window half-limousine. He was in one of his usual expensive, fitted suits.

“Wow, you can drive by yourself?”, she mocked him. 

“I’m full of surprises, love.” 

She followed him to the car. He opened the door for her, and she sat down in the comfy leather of the passenger’s seat. 

“You look beautiful.” Caroline admired that he had no trouble paying compliments. His self-confidence had at least this one advantage. She’d always felt ridiculous complimenting someone so directly about appearances. 

“Thank you.” This was doable. She would offer him no more information than what he’d ask for. When she had been with Tyler, she had wanted to get a word in so badly. Now, she felt it was more appropriate to let him come to her.

“So, where are we going?”, he asked while starting the car. 

She led him through the streets of the city without telling him the exact place. If he could play and keep secrets, so could she. He asked how she liked it in New Orleans. Caroline was surprised that he remembered her telling him she wasn’t from around here. She told him of her hometown. Small, nothing ever happens. New Orleans was bursting with life and adventure. There was no possibility she could ever live in her hometown again now that she had gotten a taste of what the world had to offer. 

“And there’s so much more,” he smiled, “I can show you sometime. If you let me.” 

In the hopes it was a promise, Caroline nodded. “If you have time.” 

“I will make time.” 

It sent a shiver through her body. He was so frank all of a sudden that she could barely handle it. He seemed so serious here in the car with her. On a date. God, this was a real date? Her eyes caught sight of the Steakhouse she had been scanning the houses for. 

“Stop!”, she said a little too promptly, causing him to step on the breaks hard. “Park here somewhere.” 

“Keeping it casual?”, he said upon following her eyes. 

“Hey, best behavior. No complaining.” 

………..

The restaurant was packed. Yet, they managed to get a table for two after all. People were drunk and laughing. The atmosphere was warm, and Caroline loved the normality of the customers. At the hotel, they always had to be well put together and formal. Here, she could order some good ribs and dive into them without regret. Admittedly, her dress was more elegant than what she would usually sacrifice to BBQ sauce stains. After all, she didn’t want Klaus to be the only one being uncomfortably overdressed. He had noticed it straight away when he eyed the guests next to them. He refrained from commenting. Best behavior, she had warned him, and he seemed to take that serious. 

When the waiter brought the menu, Caroline ordered two bourbons without even letting him get a word in. The waiter looked at him for a second as he had noticed her date wanted to speak up, but Klaus only smiled and thanked him. 

“I see, you keep grudges. Good thing I like bourbon.” 

“I deserve to after everything you pulled.” 

He leaned back and looked at her. Almost admiringly, Caroline noticed. She squirmed in her seat before collecting herself and putting on a confident front. She expected him to play down the issue again. 

“Maybe.” Not a downplay but not taking responsibility either. 

“You have apologized before,” Caroline noted, “Why can’t you just stick to that.” 

Now, he was looking around. Caroline wanted to put him on a spot. She wondered if he would make a scene in the middle of the restaurant if she were to test his temper. 

“Okay.” He leaned towards her, his eyes capturing her. “Maybe I was unfair-”

“You were.” 

“-And maybe, I was crueler than necessary…Unintentionally.” 

“Definitely.” 

“But I also let you go off. And scream at me.”

Not in a million years had she expected this answer to be his justification. 

“Should I be grateful now because…you made me angry at you?”, she spit out and looked at him as if he was the weirdest masochist she had ever encountered. Being yelled at was a new kink for her. She had never yelled at him in bed though. 

“No, listen,” he tried to save her perception of him, “my intentions might have not seemed clear and yes, in the beginning I might have seen you as just another woman to-“

“You’re not doing a good job here.”

“But I enjoyed you rather sooner than later. I like the fire you hide under this well-organized persona, Caroline. Why is it that you never let it out?” He was genuinely curious now. Caroline still didn’t fully understand. 

“You mean like you? Who just bosses around people for no reason? Sorry, but I’d like to behave like a functioning member of society.” 

The waiter brought their drinks and set them down cautiously. He could feel they were having an argument. There was always a couple… They ordered their food without even having looked at the menu and continued talking as soon as the waiter seemed sufficiently far away enough to hear. 

“You’ve got the qualities to boss people around for a living though,” he remarked. “Isn’t that what you want? What you told me the night we met at the bar? How you will become a manager as soon as your sad excuse of boss leaves?” 

“Those are dreams, Klaus! Talking! Who knows if Trent ever leaves? Who knows if I would be promoted and not some other staff member?” 

He had hit her right in the heart with that memory. Being a manager was her dream indeed. It was like people who wanted to become authors. It was good motivation to keep going, but realistically, would she succeed? The business was hard. The competition endless. 

“You clearly know what you want. We’re not as different as you might think. Why don’t you go for it? Why didn’t you fight him or try to get him fired?” His questions were tough, but he seemed calm and collected. Caroline refused to think they were alike in any way. Maybe it was why she got along with him so well after all. She could understand his motivations. But he seemed naïve. 

“Have you ever had to climb your way up or did your father just hand you over hotel after hotel?” Her voice was cold now. He shut up. His face reddened a little at the mention of his father. She saw anger on his face but didn’t care as to what state their relationship had been in. He wasn’t special. She’d had a shit father, too. 

“He is my superior. I answer to him. If I dare to speak up, who knows what he might try that he hasn’t already. I’m lucky. He never really laid a hand on me. Other friends of mine had other experiences with their bosses.” Her voice didn’t loosen. How did he dare to question her strength? Surviving was a form of fighting. 

“And if I have to endure this for another ten years. So be it. He will retire. I stay. I win.” 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should’ve…thought it through.” 

“Yes, I noticed you don’t usually think before you act.” 

They sat in silence for a moment. Maybe it was foolish to explain her unspoken battle plan to him. By now, she was sure he wouldn’t get her fired for bursting out like that even though this was still his chain, his business, they spoke about. Disappointment settled in her stomach as she reckoned he would never understand. He still hadn’t answered if he had ever had a normal job, so the chances were probably slim. 

“Do you like your job?”, he asked. She looked at him, snapping out of her thoughts and back to her date. 

“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” 

He asked her about her favorite subjects in high school, why she liked organizing so much and what college had been like. At some point, he didn’t have to ask anymore as she rambled on. Always finding new topics and stories to talk about. They barely managed to touch their food. Caroline because she was talking like a dam that was finally being opened, and Klaus for he didn’t want to miss any word that escaped her mouth. It flattered Caroline how he hung at her lips. He had redeemed himself a little tonight. 

“We would like to pay”, Caroline told the waiter when he rushed by their table. Klaus was ready to hand him the money and a generous tip. Caroline stopped him. 

“I don’t pile up debts. I pay my share.” 

“As you like.” There was no hint of offence from his part. 

The evening had turned into night as they stepped out onto the street. Lights filled up the streets in various colors. There was a cool breeze gently stroking Caroline’s cheek. The walked through the groups of other people alongside each other in quiet. She felt a little guilty about babbling away all night. She thought she knew Klaus and the kind of person he was. Her perception had been only partially true. Tyler seemed like the perfect gentleman but had turned out to be rather suspicious and insecure. Klaus, he was a monster. But he got Caroline in a weird way even if she was reluctant to admit that he respected her. She wanted to at least respect him as well. If just tonight. 

“So, what do you do…when you’re not bossing around people.”

He chuckled. “Bossing around is what I do most I suppose. Travelling to meet more people to boss around.” 

“Boring. I thought you’re full of surprises. Surprise me,” she demanded, not satisfied by his answer. 

He shrugged and they stopped at an old mansion that was falling apart. He studied the house carefully. It was quite a sight in a morbid way. Its windows were ajar, and some were in danger of falling out of their hinges. It was forgotten even though so openly on display on the busy street. 

“If I’m ever home, I paint. I draw. I consider myself quite good at it.” 

Now, that was indeed a surprise to Caroline. She wondered if he was making it up. There was no need to lie, so she chose to believe him. 

“An artist, huh? I’m impressed.” His chest swelled a little as she said that. Even if jokingly. 

“My father spared no expense to educate us. Painting classes were part of it. Or Ballet classes when it comes to my sister.” He didn’t mention his siblings further but instead diverted into the brief history of his upbringing. He chose to omit details unlike Caroline’s story. His narration style was much more streamlined. He thought about each new fact he was about to tell her. It was precious information he barely told anyone. 

By the time, he had finished his first story while so many more questions lay on Caroline’s lips, they were on their way back to the car. At this hour, many had retreated into their homes or inside one of the many bars and restaurants. Some were whistling when Caroline passed them. She recommended Klaus to just ignore it before he popped a vein. However, one voice shouted at her. Called out her name.

“Caroline?!”

She turned around and saw Tyler standing not even a block away from her. Was she supposed to ignore him? Make small talk? He already recognized her, so she decided to face him head on. They hadn’t parted on good terms. She would like it was different. Putting on a smile, she grabbed Klaus’ arm to tell him to stop. Upon seeing where she was headed, he frowned before he managed to get his face under control. Caroline went ahead and crossed the street. 

“Tyler, hi!” He was with other guys, each a beer in hand. 

“Didn’t think I’d meet you here.”

“Yeah, we- uh-.” Suddenly, she remembered that everybody else thought she was Klaus’ assistant. Before she could explain herself, Tyler noticed who she was with. 

“Fuck, so much for not setting me up.” He grew hostile instantly. “Fucking your assistant, Klaus? Kinda low.” 

“You better calm down or I-.” She held Klaus back. This wasn’t the time for some bulls to bust each other’s heads in the middle of the street. 

“Tyler, it’s not what you think. I’m sorry we didn’t end on friendly terms,” she said forcing a smile again to appear as kind-hearted as possible. He scoffed at her. 

“Sorry my ass. But what about it? Assholes always get the bitches, right?”, he laughed, and his friends followed suit. 

Klaus was shifting next to here. He was ready to kill if Caroline would’ve just allowed it. 

“Have a good night, Tyler. Sorry again,” she said and turned away from the group. There was no need trying to get through to someone who didn’t want to listen. 

“It’s not worth the extra pay, trust me!”, he shouted, “If you want a good fuck, I can pay more!” 

She was about to turn around and shout an equal amount of obscenities at him when Klaus was already leaving her side and walked straight up to Tyler. The other man looked ready to take him on. He had a grin on his face that told Caroline he got exactly what he wanted. This wasn’t about her. She was only the means to the end. God, how she hated these macho mannerisms.

Klaus’ voice was low and growling. 

“You have one more chance to calm down and apologize to her," he warned Tyler. 

The other man didn’t care to keep his voice down. 

“Woah, didn’t know you’re so territorial,” he laughed. “Shove it, Mikaelson! Would just be a shame if the tabloids get wind of this.” 

Klaus went for a straight punch to Tyler’s gut. 

“Stop it!”, Caroline tried to pull him out, but the other guys shoved her aside to help Tyler up who delivered a good strike directly to Klaus’ face. Her boss was livid. They had a strange effect on each other but fortunately Tyler’s friends knew better and pushed them apart. 

“Fuck off, Tyler!”, she screamed and grabbed Klaus before he could go at it again. His eyes were focused on Tyler, but she wasn’t planning on letting him feel like a hero. 

“Are you insane?! We’re going. Shit, come on!” 

The people on the street had watched the whole show and were distancing themselves as she dragged Klaus up to the car. He would have a bruise in the morning where Tyler’s fist left a red spot and his nose was bleeding. She handed him a tissue while he put his head back. 

“Way to end a good night.” 

“Your Prince Charming already did that when he insulted you,” Klaus attempted to explain her feelings to her again matter-of-factly. 

“No, no he didn’t! You did when you decided to attack him. Should I drive?”

“It’s fine. I’m good.” 

He got into the driver’s seat; tissue stuck in his nose with his suit that was now speckled with drops of blood. Despite his immature behavior, she was worried now. Worried that Tyler would rat them out. There is nothing going on he could rat about, she told herself. Though, it stung that Klaus had reacted so violently at the threat. Of course, this was a dubious situation. Klaus wasn’t her business. Yet, she had gotten her hopes up during the night. It was childish. She knew it herself. There was fairly little she dared to do about her feelings. In her opinion, it was on him to clarify the situation. They had gotten close tonight, but at times it felt like this was just another one of his games. If so, she was a fool for playing into it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kind comments and kudos! Life is tough right now but your support for the story makes me smile every time! <3

Two days it took the tabloids before publishing a headline: Anonymous Source Revealing SHOCKING Secret About Klaus Mikaelson!

Tyler had snitched on them. Right now, Klaus didn’t even have an assistant but how would Tyler know that they faked it. There was no name given in the article. All that stared back was a picture of both of them getting into the car after the fight. Caroline’s face wasn’t visible, so that it could have been any blonde. She closed the website and shut off her phone to help Bonnie keep the press at bay that was attempting to run or “check” into the hotel. Her friend had already held her speech in the morning.

“I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not my fault.”

“I’m not saying that, Care. But this is nuts.”

The date had ended poorly, no doubt. Yet, Caroline’s heart had felt warm when he dropped her off at her place. He didn’t make any attempt to be invited in. He had barely given her anything but a chaste kiss on the cheek and left her standing with one of his confident smirks. She had saved his phone number that night.

They hadn’t been in contact since. If they saw each other from afar in the hotel, their eyes locked onto each other and he smiled shyly only so that she could see. The whole thing felt like a forbidden school romance and Caroline like her teenage self again. Kind of ridiculous. Kind of cute. Would he mention the tabloids? Call it quits? Not that they had started anything, of course not! One date. Nothing more.

A reporter tried to rush past her, but she extended her leg and let him fall over. Immediately, security rushed in and took him away while he cursed at them.

“Have you talked to him?”, Bonnie asked as she left her position to another receptionist taking the next shift. Caroline followed her into the staff room.

“Not since the date.”

“So…is that good or bad?”

Caroline sighed.

“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully, “but I guess all is fine. Every time I see him, he smiles at least.”

“Are you sure he’s not just making fun of you?”, Bonnie joked.

They shouldered their bags and left for the exit. Then, Caroline took sight of Klaus who was on his way to the elevator. Visibly worried, his movements quick and urgent. She shot Bonnie a look.

  
“I’ll wait. Be careful, though, that no one sees you.”

Caroline speed walked her way over to him, sliding into the elevator just before the doors could close. As she bumped into him, he immediately took hold of her gently as if she could seriously injure herself if she were to fall in the tight space.

“Sorry,” she excused herself.

“No problem. I suppose there is a reason you…desperately rush to see me?” He smirked and squeezed her arm a little in affection.

“I thought maybe you wanna talk. About… happenings.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ve got it under control. My lawyers are on it.”

The doors opened and she walked alongside him towards his room. Caroline was whispering now.

“Happy to hear. I don’t care about publicity though, no offense. I meant more like…”

She suddenly felt very insecure. What was she supposed to ask? If he had feelings for her? If this was serious? There was no way she would get out of this topic without an admission, and she wasn’t sure if it was worth it. One moment he made her feel empowered, the next she would be a soft bundle of mush and doubt.

He held the door open for her, but Caroline didn’t take one step inside. He took this as a sign to go first but she did not follow him either.

“More like what?”

Would he really force her to speak it out?

“Is this an affair?”, she asked unwaveringly. “I feel like this is my responsibility, too.”

“It is not.” That came too abruptly. It must have shown on Caroline’s face as he started to explain himself: “I prefer to manage annoyances like that. I’ve got the resources. You really don’t have to worry about responsibilities.”  
  
“Annoyances? So, it’s an affair. Some dirty little secret?”

  
“Not if you don’t want it to be, Caroline. But I figured because I still have to redeem myself –be on my best behavior as you’d call it– I should wait for what you say in the matter.”

Caroline blinked. That surprised her. He had not contacted her because she was supposed to contact him first. Him handing her the reins felt oddly satisfying. Also, very charming.

“Well?”, he asked.

“Well,” she dragged out her answer desperately trying to find something witty to say, “I can do without an affair.”

“So, we stop this, or?”  
  
“No! Argh… god, I need to go and meet Bonnie. No, this is nice. Weird, but no, yes, I – let’s just…not make this an affair.”  
  
She felt her face heating up but was relieved to see that he blushed a little as well. One step and he was close to her. As if a sudden trigger had been pulled, her eyes began to close but he only planted a kiss on her cheek very quickly.

“Good. Then go now. We’ll see each other later maybe. I’ll text you.”  
  


“Yeah,” Caroline said breathlessly as he closed the door in front of her.

…………………

“Does that mean you are…a thing?”  
  
“I don’t know, Bonnie! I told you!”

They had been sitting on her couch watching trash TV for hours. Instead of going home, her friend had decided to join her for the afternoon considering the exciting news Caroline had brought her.

For Caroline herself, much was still in a gray area. Sure, they weren’t an affair, that was a relief. But the “scandal” was still on the local news. Maybe it was best to stay low. Bonnie hadn’t discouraged her per se but remained skeptical as she obviously didn’t know the guy.

Caroline had tried to reiterate the whole messy events that had led to the madness to her friend who turned out to be a rather impatient listener asking questions ever second sentence. However, Bonnie was flattered that she was the only one knowing about this.  
  
“This is why you wanted to move?”

Caroline sighed. “Not entirely, I guess. I’m not sure if there’s a future here and Trent is seriously getting on my nerves.”  
  
“Caroline Forbes! We never let a man get us down! Or anyone for that matter! He’s a dirtbag but not invincible.”

“I’m just tired of it.”

Caroline’s phone started to vibrate in her pocket. Without a second thought, she took it out and suddenly got nervous when she saw the caller ID.

“It’s Klaus.”  
  
“Take it! Quick!”

Caroline got up from the sofa. Her limbs strangely telling her to flee. She paced up and down and answered the phone.  
  
“Hello?”, she pretended as if she had no idea who was calling.

“I figured I’d call. Much quicker.” Klaus said on the other end. “Are you busy?”  
  
“No, not at all. How’s it going?”

She could hear the faint sound of an engine and maybe a radio and was fairly certain he was in a car.

“It’s fine. The press is taken care of.”

“Oh.”

“They were confused to hear I don’t have an assistant at the moment. I said I wouldn’t comment on my liaison until the person in question decides to say anything.”  
  
Caroline almost squealed in happiness. She gasped giving Bonnie a look full of shock but excitement. _What is going on?_, her friend mouthed.

“I – thank you,” Caroline said fondly.

“Have I redeemed myself a little bit?”

“I guess I have to say yes.”

He laughed for a moment before getting dead serious again.

“I will leave tomorrow evening. I have to go to New York, but I’ll be back.”

  
“What?” That was unexpected. They would be apart before even starting to be properly together. “For how long?”

  
“Maybe two weeks. Maybe three. I’m sorry, it’s work. I promise I’ll make it up to you. Are you there, Caroline?”

“Yeah. I mean, that’s… unfortunate but it’s not like I don’t have to work anyway. For you which makes this kind of ironic.”

“Hang in there,” he chuckled, “Just call me if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay.”

“See you.”

"Bye.”

She hung up the phone and silently sat down again next to Bonnie. She felt fine. The information had not reached her heart yet.  
  
“All good?”, Bonnie asked cautiously.  
  
“He’ll leave for New York tomorrow.”  
  
“What?!”

“Just for work. We’ll see each other after, I guess.”  
  
“Oh, Care, come here!” Caroline got almost squeezed to death by Bonnie’s hug.

They opened a bottle of wine and continued their trash TV marathon before Bonnie left. They both had a morning shift the next day. Reality sunk in when Caroline closed the door behind her friend. For the fact that she had known Klaus for only about two weeks, it was oddly tugging at her heart strings. She had a crush that was for sure and it wasn’t eased by the fact that her crush had returned her affection. This was real. She didn’t have a proper name for this relationship yet as they hadn’t really done anything about it but her hopelessly romantic subconscious was already planning their future house. What could go wrong being involved with a mogul that additionally was her boss?

Finally in bed, Caroline stared at her phone; She stared at his number to be precise. She didn’t wanna be too clingy from the get-go but she couldn’t sleep without at least nudging him. She wondered what he would think. It didn’t matter, she decided, it was her feelings.

**_Just checking if this works, _**she texted.

It took merely a few minutes for a response to fly in.

  
  
**Of course you are**

Damn him for figuring her out so well.


	11. Chapter 11: The Final-ish Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, well, look who neglected her fic for more than 2 months. Life has been busy, sorry. Felt bad for not updating in so long, so here have the final(ish) chapter! 
> 
> I mean this as, yes, this is the final chapter because I would like to move on, but I'm also not satisfied completely because my plan was to have 12+ chapters. It might be that I randomly update this fic in the future. It was never planned to be a big masterpiece of a fic but I hope it was to an extent at least enjoyable. 
> 
> The reason I want to move on is that I want to finish my own book this year as well as start a MASSIVE multi-chapter fic with beta reading process and all. The preparation for this will take a while as I am also writing my bachelor's thesis right now. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for reading! I am super excited that I started writing fanifc again.

Two weeks turned into three turned into 4. It had been a solid month since Caroline had last seen Klaus in person. He had apologized several times for it. If he answered at all. She was annoyed. She was angry but, most of all, she hoped he was not lying when he said it was because he was busy and spent most of his time buried in work and meetings. Sometimes he would send a picture. Not the naughty kind. The kind that made Caroline feel giggly because it was just nude enough to wonder. A picture in the morning when he brushed his teeth, a picture at night before he fell asleep. Then, there were the pictures in the press. She had never noticed him before. How could she have missed him when he was constantly in boulevard magazines. The charming young hotel owner with the dashing smile who was still a bachelor. She had started to pick up those magazines more and more just to see what he was up to. He had advised her against it. 

It’s all a lie anyway. They don’t know anything

I hope so or I have to be jealous

Here and there, they would write about him and other women. Or men. Caroline could see the paparazzi pictures. He was undeniably with people. One time though it was Elijah. Another time it was a woman who he had hired to be his new assistant he texted her before the photos were even published. It still felt surreal to Caroline who was stuck in her day job and couldn’t wait for him to come back. 

When Caroline arrived at work that morning, there was tension in the air. The receptionists looked worried. 

“Is everything okay?” 

“Ms. Forbes, you might wait a little before going to the office. Matt is in there with Trent right now,” one girl said in a way that signaled Caroline to stay put. Fear gripped her imagining the possibilities of Trent and danger. 

A bang from the office rooms made them jump. 

“What is going on? Matt?!” She dropped her bag at the reception and ran towards the noise. 

The office was a mess. Chairs were tipped over and loose paper documents were lying everywhere. Matt was visibly distressed, but it was Trent who threw a fit. 

“Sir, please,” Matt begged as politely as possible, “calm down and leave the building now.” 

“This is my hotel! You don’t fuckin’ get to throw me out, Donovan!” 

He pushed Matt away from him. Matt was never willingly up for a fight. Caroline knew he would try to avoid it. She watched them while thinking of a way to deescalate the situation. Trent was fuming. He was more intense than she had ever seen him. He looked kind of…raw. Usually, he was silently threatening and calculating. She took her phone out, typed in 911 and held up her display towards the men. 

“If you don’t calm the fuck down right now, I’m going to call the police okay?”, she screamed. The older man came towards her. 

“Fuck all you’re gonna do, bitch!” 

She watched him coming onto her. Matt finally swung himself onto him. They went down and Trent fought while Matt pressed him down onto the floor. She pressed the phone icon and called the police.   
By the time the police arrived, hotel security had already been sent in by the reception who had heard Trent scream. He was cursing like mad. Only when they watched him being led by the police did Caroline ask what had happened. 

“Got fired, that scumbag.” Matt rubbed his wrists. Their former boss was stronger than he had thought. 

“What? When?” Caroline was surprised. Happiness couldn’t sink in yet. She was too alert from the fight. 

“During the night? What do I know? I came to work this morning and he’d already destroyed his office. Saw the information in my inbox. The whole staff got the mail.”

“What about replacement? How do we handle the day now?” Suddenly, Caroline got into work mode again. She hated Trent but he had a function as the manager after all. They tried to organize the office space with the help of the cleaning personnel and went to work. They couldn’t figure out why he was fired by reading the mails. Nobody really cared. Trent was gone. It felt like a miracle. Five hours into the shift and the staff was more relaxed than they had ever been working. At least emotionally. Caroline was working like a horse to keep everything going. She did the paperwork and email while Matt made and took phone calls. Bonnie came in sooner than her regular shift when she had gotten Caroline’s message about the situation. She was ecstatic. 

“Hellooo! Is this heaven or what?”, she laughed. 

Caroline scoffed: “We’ve been sitting here for hours without a break, Bon. Who fires a manager without employing a new one immediately? This is chaos!” 

Bonnie crossed her arms. “Ask your boo, I guess. After all he is the big boss.” Caroline looked up from her computer. He was. Her stomach started to twist. She knew he was up to something. Or something had happened. She didn’t know what, but she knew him and his schemes. This was no coincidence.

Taking her bag, she dug for her phone. His number was the second to last one she had called after the police. It was ringing but no one answered. Not now, asshole, she spoke tightly through pressed teeth. She sent him a quick text to ask what he was up to. Checking her phone every ten minutes if he had responded was fruitless. No answer. 

“By tomorrow we are done for,” Caroline groaned. Trent had meetings scheduled. Who was supposed to show up if they had no manager? Matt immediately excused himself. 

“I…have a thing.” 

“Matt, please,” Bonnie and Caroline begged. Neither of them had any knowledge what the meetings were supposed to be about. They could acquire some important numbers until tomorrow such as the profit of the last months’ or planned events, but they would never be able to get into all the details and knowledge necessary to negotiate if it came down to it. They had no authority either. They decided to take a late lunch break. After all, what were they to do right now? 

Munching on her sandwich, Caroline continued to check her phone. Nothing. Bonnie had tried to reach other Hyrbid Inn’s for advice. They could not help either but promised to try to reach Mr. Mikaelson as well. Their managers would attempt to help out and reschedule the physical meetings as online meetings so they could talk with the clients. 

“Well, at least he got what he deserved,” Bonnie mentioned rather unenthusiastically given the stressful situation. Caroline and Matt nodded. Suddenly, Caroline’s phone rang. Hastily she picked it up: only the reception.

“I’m eating, Tina. Can It wait?” 

The other woman’s voice answered her calmly but insisted: “I’m sorry, you are needed at the reception.” 

Caroline raised an eyebrow. “I’ll come.” That feeling was back. That gut wrenching, twisting, turning feeling. 

“I think we’ll have an answer pretty soon,” she told her friends and left the table. 

…

There he stood. Smug and all business and always. Out of the blue. 

“I knew it,” Caroline muttered stomping towards Klaus. His smile didn’t falter. 

“Caroline, I thought you would be happier to see me!” The women at the reception eyed them suspiciously. Caroline didn’t even think about how public this was. He didn’t hide anything. She crossed her arms without even welcoming him in any way. 

“What is happening, Klaus! The whole administration is a mess! And where do you come from all of a sudden?” 

He laughed with all his heart. It was real amusement and no hint of mischievousness. 

“Just arrived from the airport. So, Trent already left I assume.”

“Well, left… We had to call the police to drag him out but yes, he left.” 

He signaled her to follow him upstairs to his usual room and they entered the elevator. Caroline would have to explain this to the staff later. Alone in the elevator, she felt the electricity coming from him. And she wanted it, too. It registered for her that he was truly in front of her after a month of unrestrained longing. The hotel was a mess but so was she in that moment. She wasn’t sure if from work or his presence. He met her eyes and she saw his unspoken consent when she turned towards him and they exchanged a sudden heated kiss. She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down, closer towards her. 

“That’s more like it,” he huffed when they broke apart. They played it cool when they passed some guests from the upper floors. Caroline wondered if they could see it in her face. 

Finally, in private, she questioned him. She had to make sure to get work done first before anything else might happen. She assumed it would. It was inevitable. 

“Why did you not text me?”

“I figured I’d surprise you.” As if he was home from work, he carefully took off his jacket and tie. Caroline watched him pace around before he settled on the sofa. His smile was confident and daring. He didn’t avert his eyes one second as she spoke. It was a sight. 

“Could have worked if today wasn’t such a shit show,” she retorted, “Did you fire Trent?” 

“Of course.” 

Caroline sighed helplessly throwing her hands in the air. 

“Why did you not SAY anything? No one here is in the position to make any major decision!” 

He stood up from the sofa when he realized she would not be joining him soon. Gently, he interlaced his fingers with hers. Caroline let it happen without a remark. She was starving for his touch. The way he looked at her she could feel he was too. 

“I am. And I’m going to stay for a while. There is another surprise as well –“ 

“Oh, please, no. I can’t handle anything else right now! This is keeping me busy enough.”

He chuckled and drew her into his arms. 

“It’s going to be fine. I promise. Take a break. I’ll permit it,” he winked at her. It was his turn to hold her face. His kiss was slow and deep. He dragged it out and Caroline’s desire was pushing her for more. She wondered if anybody would suspect anything at the administration. They probably already did. She decided it didn’t matter now. Klaus was back and he didn’t seem to be tired of her. 

…. 

As soon as they were done, Caroline already longed for more. She quickly got dressed while Klaus remained in bed watching her every move. She had to admit he did look like a god. Supernaturally good looking. It was creepy on second thought. She adored this ruffled hair and dimples look the most. 

“Will you come back after your shift?”, he asked nonchalantly. There was no reason to hide his infatuation by now. He was confident. Caroline shared the feeling, but her pride would never let her long for him so openly. 

“Don’t you have work to do now that you don’t have a manager?”, she responded. He turned on his side and looked at her. 

“And in precisely this point you are mistaken Ms. Forbes. As if I have not planned everything out like the responsible owner that I am.”

Now, that was a surprise. Caroline turned towards him. She eyed him suspiciously. Love aside, he was a pain in her ass. In a good way…sometimes. Right then and there he was just confusing her. He had the biggest grin as if asking her: Do you get it? She decided not to play into it. She had two hours of work left. Bonnie had already sent her several messages. 

“I’m not getting into this. Fix it, please. Okay? For my sanity.” She put on her blazer and took a last look in the mirror to fix her hair before blowing him a kiss on the way out. 

Caroline ended up working overtime. The office needed everyone. Her sense of responsibility would not let her sleep or night if she left. Bonnie was slaving away next to her. They had urged Matt to leave and not follow suit. He had tackled Trent after all. He deserved free time and to let his wrist get checked out if need be. In return, he had brought them some snacks from the supermarket around the corner. 

“For the fact that I’ve rarely seen Trent work, he sure had a lot to do,” Bonnie moaned. 

“Maybe he never worked, so here we are doing what he neglected.” Caroline had read through and archived a ton of mails. Alongside, she kept a notebook to keep track of the most important information. 

“I see everybody is busy. Good,” Klaus said and suddenly appeared in the doorway. The other staff stopped and stared. Bonnie almost spit out the coffee she had taken a sip of. 

“Hello, everybody,” he began his speech, “For all of you who might not be familiar with my face: my name is Klaus Mikaelson and I run the Hybrid Inn hotels. As you might have noticed, Mr. Trent unfortunately had to leave us. I hope no one is particularly sad about this because he will under no circumstance be returning.” 

What are you doing?, Caroline mouthed silently at him. He straightened himself and smiled his 24-karat smile. A boss smile. 

“I am sorry about the confusing today. I am glad to announce the hotel’s new manager as of immediately to be Ms. Caroline Forbes. In case you have any questions, please turn to her in the future.”

Everybody’s head shot towards her. Caroline was shocked. She could feel their co-workers asking: Did you know about this? Her instinct told her not to lose her composure right now. Professionalism. She stiffly got up from her desk and put on her customer service voice. 

“Mr. Mikaelson, may I speak to you in private.”

He checked his watch: “Of course, Ms. Forbes but we have to make it quick. I have to meet someone for a conference in 10 minutes.”

She followed him out of the room and hoped Bonnie would manage some damage this announcement would surely create regarding her reputation among her colleagues. They snuck into an empty conference room. 

“What the fuck!”, she shouted out as soon as she had closed the door behind them. 

“Surprise?”, he teased as if this had not been the most random unhelpful help he could have done. 

“Uh, yes! Are you insane? I know nothing about the managerial control or decisions within this hotel.”

“You have been looking at documents all day. I’m sure you have learned something.” 

“Klaus. This isn’t funny. I’m glad you’re back and all but you can’t just give me the lead the hotel without preparation.” 

He leaned against the conference table and studied her face. She waited for him to explain himself. He gave in with a sigh. 

“Do you really think I would hand it over this recklessly? I mean yes, effectively, you are officially the new manager of the Hybrid Inn New Orleans. I will help. That is what I’m here for.” He walked over to her. “Isn’t this what you wanted? Management?”

“Not so soon. Not so sudden. Not like this. I haven’t worked my way up, Klaus. My career is important to me. I want to do it the honorable way.” 

“So, I fucked up again?” 

She sighed. She knew he was trying. He basically had just made her dream come true. All in all, she did have to thank him. Yet, it felt wrong. It felt like an expensive present from a sugar daddy. She didn’t want to be bought. 

“Hey,” he said and took her hand when he noticed her overthinking. Her pause went on for too long and he knew by now. “If you don’t want it, then, I guess I have to manage it for a few days. Are you sure you don’t want to try? I will work for you.” 

Caroline looked at him. It sounded like a joke. “Wha-“

“Don’t ridicule me. I thought about what you said about my inheritance. I suppose it is true. I have barely worked a real job in my life. To be fair, I don’t plan to change this. I’m after all comfortable being the asshole in this. But, I’m also willing to help and to learn. Be the manager of my hotel, Caroline. For a few months. A year! If you hate it, you quit. The next weeks I will help you with meetings, paperwork, bring you coffee like some pesky intern.”

“Klaus, I-“ Caroline was stunned. He was asking too much. She felt nervous. She liked to be prepared. This was a dive headfirst into the unknown. It was also another step. She could quit in a month and see this as a trial. If he was willing to help her like this…It was alluring, the idea of having the big boss be her assistant for once. Maybe this wasn’t ethical. Maybe for once Caroline decided she would not care. What she did care was this hotel and the staff after all. Now that Trent was gone, they needed a manager as soon as possible.   
She tried to play out different scenarios and probabilities of this going either extremely well or bad. Well, if she would drive this hotel into ruin, he probably had enough money to fix it. 

“I- might… For a month. I will do it for a month and if you haven’t found a better manager by then, we have to see.” 

A glowing smile spread across his face again. He picked her up and swung her around as if she weighed nothing. 

“Excuse my exuberance,” he said. “But know that I want to offer you the world. I know, you don’t want it. I will give it to you anyway.” 

She laughed: “Save that for when I can enjoy it. I have a lot of work to do now.”

“Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” 

“Well, I suppose I have to manage some more paperwork before I can leave but care to join me at my place tonight?” 

He took her hand and squeezed it gently before pulling her close. 

“My pleasure,” he whispered in her ear. “This is going to be a promising workplace relationship.”

“You better do as I say or I quit the deal,” she joked. 

“Nothing I’d rather do.”


End file.
